By Susan Ferrechio
Chief Congressional Correspondent
Even though President Barack Obama has distanced himself from the possibility of instituting a “Fairness Doctrine” for broadcasters, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. wants to make sure Congress doesn’t try to push it through anyway.
DeMint said Thursday he plans to try to attach the Broadcaster Freedom Act to a DC voting rights bill scheduled for a vote next week in the Senate. The bill would block the Federal Communications Commission from reinstating the Fairness Doctrine requiring broadcasters to include opposing views.
“I’m glad President Obama finally confirmed his opposition to the Fairness Doctrine, which attacks the right of free speech on talk radio,” DeMint said in a statement Thursday.
But many Democrats in Congress are still pushing it. With the support of the new administration, now is the time for Congress to take a stand against this kind of censorship. I intend to seek a vote on this amendment next week so every senator is on record: Do you support free speech or do you want to silence voices you disagree with?”
The Fairness Doctrine was put in place in 1949 and was lifted in 1985. Democrats have twice passed legislation to reinstate it but those bills were vetoed by Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
DeMint has 29 Republican co-sponsors in the Senate. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., has introduced a similar bill in the House and has 177 co-sponsors, including three Democrats.
