McCain Leaves Commerce Committee; 4 Other Republicans Added

Sen John McCain (R-AZ), who helped the satellite TV industry gain access to local TV signals, said Wednesday that he has decided to give up his seat on the Senate Commerce Committee which he has held for 22 years. Sen McCain was chairman of the Commerce Committee in 1999, playing an important role in passing the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act, a law which allowed DirecTV and Dish Network to provide local TV signals within the same local market for the first time. The provision of local TV signals greatly helped satellite TV compete with cable. Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Kay Bailey Hutchison welcomed four new GOP colleagues to the panel Wednesday: Johnny Isakson of Georgia; Sam Brownback of Kansas; Mel Martinez of Florida; and Mike Johanns of Nebraska.