MIKE THOMPSON
1ST DISTRICT, CALIFORNIA
COMMITIEE ON WAYS AND MEANS
SUBCOMMlneE ON HEALTH
SUBCOMMI1TEE ON SELECT
REVENUE MEASURES
PERMANENT SELECT
COMMITTEE ON INTELLIGENCE
CHAIRMAN, SUBCOMMITTEE ON TERRORISM,
HUMAN INTELLIGENCE, ANALYSIS AND
COUNTERINTELLlGI1.NCE
SUBCOMMITIEE ON OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WASHINGTON, DC 20515
June 27, 2013
OI,'TRICT OPPICES:
J040MAIN STREET, SUITE 101
NAPA, CA 94559
(707) 226-9898
311 THIRD STREET, SUITE I
EUREKA, CA 95501
(707) 269-959.5
PoST OFFICI! Box 2208
FORT BRAOO, CA 95437
(707) 962·0933
712 MAIN STRBIlT, SUITI! 101
WOODLAND, CA 9.5695
(530) 662-5272
CAPITOL OFFICB:
231 CANNON HOUSE OPPlCI! ButLOJN(]
WASHINGTON, DC 20515
(202) 225-3311
WEB: http://mikethompron.hou!ie.gov
The Honorable Mignon Clyburn
Acting Chairwoman
Federal Conununications Commission
445 Twelfth Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554
Dear Acting Chairwoman Clyburn:
For decades, television viewers have been inconvenienced by wildly fluctuating volumes played
during the conunercials of their favorite television programs. That is why I coauthored the
Conunercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (CALM) Act (P.L. 111-311), whose rules went
into effect more than six months ago.
Pursuant to the CALM Act, the Federal Conununicatioll,!l Commission (FCC) is required as of
December 13, 2012 to enforce rules that will limit the volume ofaudio on conunercials
transmitted by television broadcast stations, cable operators, and other multichannel video
progranuning distributors. Unfortunately, a number ofmy constituents have reported to me that
loud conunercials are still prevalent even after the CALM Act went into effect. As a coauthor of
this law, I am concerned that television providers are not complying with the CALM Act rules
and that the FCC is not adequately enforcing this new law.
I request that you provide me with an explanation ofhow the FCC is currently enforcing the
requirements of the CALM Act and why viewers are still reporting that television commercials
are still louder than the progranuning that they accompany. Should you need further information
about this request or have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Ian Blue in my office
at (202) 225-3311.
Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to your timely response.
Sincerely,
YnJ.v..~~
MIKE THOMPSON
Member ofCongress
cc: Conunissioner Jessica Rosenworcel
Commissioner Ajit Pai
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