{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=270A79B4-764A-4D50-82F5-41BECD034996", "Heller Calls for FCC Delay on Set Top Box Proposal", "2016-09-28", "2016", "2016-09", "Republican", "House", "NV", "Dean Heller", "H001041", "www.heller.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC) \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Dean Heller sent the following letter to the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Tom Wheeler, urging the delay of a vote on a proposal addressing the set-top box market. Heller cited outstanding questions over consumer privacy as his main concern.\r\nClick here for a PDF copy of the letter.\r\nFull text of letter to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler:\r\nChairman Tom Wheeler\r\nFederal Communications Commission\r\n445 12th Street, SW\r\nWashington, DC 20554\r\nDear Chairman Wheeler:\r\nAs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) prepares to vote Thursday on a proposal addressing the set-top box market, I urge you to delay consideration of the proposal given outstanding questions over consumer privacy.\u00a0 As a strong supporter of competition and innovation in the video marketplace, I recognize the industry has been innovating by exploring an apps-based approach to content delivery; however, I have concerns about how the FCC\u2019s proposal requiring this approach will impact my constituents\u2019 privacy and whether it is technology neutral.\u00a0 These issues also stem from the lack of transparency in the process leading up to the final proposal, the text of which has not been released to stakeholders, Congress, and the American public prior to a vote.\u00a0 I believe there are questions that need to be answered and these concerns need to be addressed before moving forward.\u00a0 As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over the FCC, I appreciate the opportunity to address this matter that will impact Nevada\u2019s consumers and their privacy.\r\nFirstly,\u00a0I have concerns about how this rule impacts consumer privacy\u2014which is one of my top priorities in the Senate.\u00a0\u00a0Nevadans in particular are sensitive about their personal information and what is done with it.\u00a0\u00a0On top of that, U.S. companies continue to experience data breaches that can wreak havoc on a consumer\u2019s finances and privacy.\u00a0 That is why there are privacy protections in place to address the rules of the road for handling personal information and data breaches for multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs).\u00a0 Yet, this rule will result in MVPDs handing over consumers\u2019 personal information to third-party developers using their own platforms without addressing how that information can be utilized and what recourse consumers have if there is a data breach of third-party developers.\u00a0\u00a0This is not technology neutral and not beneficial to consumers.\u00a0 That is why I request that you delay voting on this proposal until these privacy concerns are resolved.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n\u00a0I also have strong concerns with the process the rulemaking has undertaken.\u00a0 As the advocate in the Senate for bringing greater transparency to the FCC and its rulemaking process, I believe it is unacceptable that the FCC has not released the text of this proposal before\u00a0Thursday\u2019s\u00a0vote.\u00a0\u00a0A three-page fact sheet does not provide enough details for Congress to conduct proper oversight of this rulemaking that will significantly impact both consumers and industry.\u00a0 For years, I have been pushing the FCC to release the text of rules before the Commissioners are required to vote, and the Senate Commerce Committee passed my legislation, the FCC Process Reform Act (S.421), earlier this year to require such disclosure 21 days prior to a vote.\u00a0\u00a0I encourage you to release the text immediately so that the American public has a full understanding of what is being considered by the Commission and whether it will adequately protect consumers, as well as rural pay-tv providers.\r\nAgain, until the issues of full transparency and protecting consumer privacy are addressed, I urge you to delay consideration of this proposal and request a response to this letter by October 12, 2016.\u00a0 Thank you again, and I look forward to continue working with the FCC to ensure a competitive marketplace that benefits consumers and innovation.\r\nSincerely,\r\nDEAN HELLER\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\nUnited States Senator\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=270A79B4-764A-4D50-82F5-41BECD034996"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.051073893904686, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}