Skip to main content
HR 84 105th Congress House

Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 1997

Official title: To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to require radio and television broadcasters to provide free broadcasting time for political advertising.

Introduced: January 7, 1997 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Cable televisionCommerceFranchises (Retail trade)Government Operations and Politics
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
LawLicensesPolitical advertisingPolitical partiesStandardsTelevision in politicsTelevision stations
Sign in to write a letter Sign in to watch
This bill died when the 105th Congress ended
It never became law before the 105th Congress (1997–1998) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 22, 1997
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Jan 7, 1997
Referred to the House Committee on Commerce.
Jan 7, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E21)
Jan 7, 1997
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action January 22, 1997

Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 1997 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require each licensee for a television broadcasting station to make available free broadcast time in each even-numbered year for political advertising. Provides standards for time allotment, including total time to be allotted, the length of each unit of such free time, the hours of the day and the time of the year in which such free time must be allowed, a limitation on such free time, and the use of such free time. Requires candidates meeting certain minimum qualifying standards to be treated equally for purposes of such allotment.

Provides that nothing in this Act shall restrict a candidate's right to purchase other broadcast time on such station.

Requires a cable operator to make available annually free cable time for political advertising under similar requirements.

Prohibits the renewal of the license of any television broadcast station licensee, or the franchise of any cable operator, that fails to comply with such requirements.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Democratic 4
D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · Jul 16, 1997
 D
Clyburn, James E.
South Carolina · Jun 12, 1997
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Mar 18, 1997
 D
Norton, Eleanor Holmes
District of Columbia · Feb 6, 1997
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 84: Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-84/
MLA
"H.R. 84: Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-84/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 84, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-84/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 84: Fairness in Political Advertising Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-84/)
Report a problem