Ensign Statement on DTV Transition
Senator John Ensign released
the following statement regarding the February 17 transition to digital
television:
“For
more than a year, television stations across the country have worked tirelessly
to educate the public about the transition to digital television. To delay this
would be irresponsible, create a hardship for local broadcasters who have
invested heavily in the transition, and simply postpone the inevitable. Let’s
do what needs to be done to address this, rather than take the easy way out and
delay the transition date.
“Congress should
quickly eliminate the coupon shortage. If additional funding is needed,
Congress should provide it. It will be less disruptive to fix the coupon
program than to delay the transition date. Pushing back the transition date
could also delay the deployment of new wireless broadband services.
“The efforts of
Nevada broadcasters and pay-TV providers in leading the way for this will go a
long way in ensuring the smoothest transition possible. In fact, Nevadans will
experience a major statewide test of the digital transition today, January 12.
“Across our
state, viewers have seen more advertisements educating them about the transition
than probably anything else, except maybe political ads, and to delay this over
something that can be addressed would be more harmful than helpful.”
For more
information on the switch to digital television on February 17, please visit
www.dtv.gov.
Background Checks Will Better Protect Our
Children
Legislation would expand access to FBI background checks
Senators
John Ensign (R-NV) and Evan Bayh (D-IN) introduced legislation to make FBI
background checks available to youth-serving organizations (YSOs), such as camps
and mentorship programs, to more effectively screen out convicted child
predators and other job applicants with criminal backgrounds.
“As a parent, I know that
you can never do enough to try and keep your children safe,” said Ensign. “If
signed into law, this bill would provide some additional peace of mind by making
FBI background checks available to organizations that host our children.”
The Child Protection
Improvements Act gives youth organizations permanent access to FBI fingerprint
searches by establishing an applicant processing center where YSOs can screen
potential employees. Through the center, youth organizations can draw upon the
expertise of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to review
criminal records and determine whether potential employees pose a threat to
children.
Currently, only a limited
number of youth organizations have the ability to screen applicants using FBI
fingerprint data.
“Youth organizations need
enhanced screening tools so they can take every precaution to keep sexual
predators away from our children,” Bayh said. “Youth organizations must be able
to conduct a true national background check to ensure that the people entrusted
with our children’s safety are fit for that responsibility. This legislation
will help keep convicted criminals away from young people.”
In 2003, Congress passed a
pilot program which allowed a limited number of YSOs to run FBI background
checks on prospective volunteers. Of the approximately 50,000 checks conducted,
nearly six percent of all YSO applicants reviewed were found to have criminal
backgrounds that made them unsuitable to work with children. Many had committed
crimes in states other than where they sought to work.
Expanded access to FBI
background checks for youth-serving organizations has been endorsed by the
Afterschool Alliance, the American Camp Association, Big Brothers Big Sisters of
America, the Boys & Girls Club of America, and the YMCA.
