Rep. Larry Combest (R-TX) announced that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reversed a ruling that would have limited the rights of religious broadcasters. 

 The ruling, made in December of 1999, when the FCC approved a television license swap in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, would have placed unfair restrictions on religious speech in television by limiting certain types of religious broadcasting. In the order, the FCC established stringent standards for “educational” programming that non-commercial educational TV stations must air to remain qualified, and issued rules of “guidance” for religious broadcasters by instructing that traditional religious programming could no longer be considered as educational. The FCC has now reversed that decision and says that they will vacate the additional “guidance” section, which sought to determine the educational value of religious programming.  

            Rep. Combest said, “I am pleased that the FCC came to their senses and dropped this ruling, which clearly would have been devastating to religious broadcasters. This reversal demonstrates the impact individuals can make on their government. The policy was only changed because of the outrage expressed by thousands of individuals who called and e-mailed their opposition.”

 Rep. Combest is a cosponsor of a bill introduced last week by Rep. Mike Oxley (R-OH), which would have reversed the action taken by the FCC and would also have put additional safeguards in place so the FCC will not make another ruling of this nature again. 

 “I hope that in the future, the FCC will not make the same mistake, and will work within its framework that the Congress has authorized and oversees,” Combest added.