Brownback Indecency Amendment Passes Senate

The Senate approved an amendment by Kansas Republican Sam Brownback to increase broadcast indecency fines. Brownback supports raising the maximum fine tenfold to $275,000 per violation and capped at $3 million per day.
The Senate has yet to vote on the entire bill, however.
Sen. Brownback’s language is an amendment tacked onto a defense appropriation under consideration by the Senate. As RW Online reported last week, his original measure to raise indecency penalties was loaded down with amendments and not likely to pass, he felt, so he streamlined it in an effort to gain passage.
According to Reuters, the Senate also passed amendments from Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., to reject the FCC’s new ownership rules and Fritz Hollings, D-S.C., to curb TV violence.
A provision from Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Montana, to have the FCC take into account station market size when levying a fine, was also included.
The House version of the defense measure has no indecency amendment, so, if the Senate approves the entire bill, differences would need to be hammered out in conference committee.
Last week, Brownback told Reuters, “there’s not a lot of vehicles left” to move the bill forward in the limited days left on the legislative calendar before lawmakers adjourn to campaign.