Congressman Michael G. Oxley Fourth Ohio District HOUSE PASSES RELIGIOUS BROADCASTING PROTECTION 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 20, 2000
 
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Rep. Michael G. Oxley (R-Findlay) voted yes today on legislation that would rein in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and protect religious broadcasters from excessive and hostile federal regulation.  Oxley helped to write the Noncommercial Broadcasting Freedom of Expression Act, which passed the House this afternoon by a vote of 264-159.
 
The bill, introduced by U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering (R-MS), states that the FCC cannot impose special regulations on noncommercial broadcasters.
 
"The Constitution says the government shall establish no religion," Oxley said, "but the FCC cannot take that as free license to squelch religious speech."
 
Oxley and other supporters of the bill believe that the FCC went too far last year when, in a television license transfer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the FCC stated for the first time that traditional religious programming could no longer be counted toward noncommercial broadcasters' educational requirements.
 
Following public outrage at the action, the FCC reversed its original decision.  Oxley and others on Capitol Hill believe the legislation is necessary to prevent the FCC from taking similar actions in the future.
 
"The crowd at the FCC and our opponents have made it clear that they would prefer public broadcasting stations to religious broadcasters," Oxley said.  "They want to stamp religion out of American life, but it's not up to them to decide everything that the American people will see and hear."
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