{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/as-native-american-heritage-month-begins-norton-says-fcc-should-begin", "As Native American Heritage Month Begins, Norton Says FCC Should Begin Proceedings to Ban Use of Washington Football Team on Broadcast TV and Radio", "2014-11-03", "2014", "2014-11", "Democrat", "House", "DC", "Eleanor Norton", "N000147", "norton.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In recognition of Native American Heritage Month, which began on Saturday, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today said that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cannot ignore the official conclusion that the Washington football team\u2019s name is derogatory, as found by the federal agency charged to make the decision, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.\u00a0 She said that the FCC, after appropriate hearings, should use its precedent in deciding whether the use of the derogatory name by broadcast television and radio stations can continue.\u00a0 Earlier this month, the FCC announced that it is considering banning the on-air use of the team name by broadcasters.\u00a0 Last month, George Washington University law professor John Banzhaf III filed a petition with the FCC to prevent the renewal of a federal broadcast license to a local radio station that continues to use the team name.\u00a0 Banzhaf\u2019s petition says the team name violates the FCC regulations against hate speech and indecency.\u00a0 In September, FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said that he would not use the team name personally because it was derogatory, making him the second member of the commission to speak out about the team name.\u00a0 If the FCC finds the team name to be derogatory, all on-air broadcasters could be fined for the use of the name.\u00a0\nNorton, a congressional leader in the effort to compel a name change, also recently announced that she will introduce the House companion bill to Senator Cantwell\u2019s bill to strip the National Football League (NFL) of its tax exempt status as long as it continues to promote the current name of the Washington football team.\u00a0 Norton said there is no better time for the FCC to lead on this issue than Native American Heritage Month.\n\u201cThe FCC cannot stand by, particularly after there has been an official finding that our hometown team name is derogatory,\u201d Norton said.\u00a0 \u201cAs football hits its high point during this month when we also commemorate Native American Heritage Month, we should also move forward with the process necessary to get this racial slur off the air.\u201d\nIn June, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office canceled the Washington football team\u2019s trademark registration.\u00a0 Last year, Norton was one of the nine original cosponsors of H.R. 1278, the Non-Disparagement of Native American Persons or Peoples in Trademark Registration Act, which calls for the cancelation of existing trademark registrations containing the Washington football team\u2019s name.\u00a0 Norton also joined several of her colleagues in sending a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington football team sponsor FedEx, Washington football team owner Dan Snyder, and the 31 other NFL franchises, urging them to support a change to the Washington football team name.\u00a0\nNative American Heritage Month, celebrated across the nation every November, recognizes the significant cultural and economic contributions Native Americans have made to the establishment and growth of the United States.", 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": ["http://norton.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/as-native-american-heritage-month-begins-norton-says-fcc-should-begin"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.662611961364746, "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"}