Skip to main content
S 1497 108th Congress Senate

Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003

Official title: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to revise and expand the lowest unit cost provision applicable to political campaign broadcasts, to establish co… Show full official titleShow less

Official title: A bill to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to revise and expand the lowest unit cost provision applicable to political campaign broadcasts, to establish commercial broadcasting station minimum airtime requirements for candidate-centered and issue-centered programming before primary and general elections, to establish a voucher system for the purchase of commercial broadcast airtime for political advertisements, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 30, 2003 See on congress.gov
Science, Technology, Communications Campaign fundsCheckoffCongressCongressional elections
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Democratic PartyGovernment Operations and PoliticsLawLicense agreementsPolitical partiesPoliticiansPresidential electionsPress and politicsRadio in politicsRepublican PartyTax returnsTaxationTelevision in politics
This bill died when the 108th Congress ended
It never became law before the 108th Congress (2003–2004) 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 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 30, 2003
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10272-10275)
Jul 30, 2003
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10272)
Jul 30, 2003
Introduced in Senate
 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 July 30, 2003

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10272-10275)

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to require the lowest unit charge for radio or television broadcast time to a national committee of a political party acting on behalf of a candidate for public office. Prohibits a licensee of a broadcasting station, except under circumstances beyond its control, from preempting the use of such station by an eligible candidate or political committee who has paid for such use. Requires audits of stations to ensure the provision of broadcasting advertising time for political candidates. Provides minimum time requirements for candidate- or issue-centered broadcasts by stations.

Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish and administer a voucher program for the purchase of airtime for political advertisements on radio and television broadcast stations by eligible candidates and political party committees as certified by the FCC. Provides maximum voucher amounts for both candidates and political committees. Allows such vouchers to be used exclusively for the purchase of airtime; but allows the transfer of vouchers between a political party and a candidate and vice versa. Requires the FCC to redeem all vouchers accepted by such stations. Provides for voucher expiration. Directs the FCC to establish the Political Advertising Voucher Account and to collect and deposit into it an annual spectrum use fee based on a percentage of a station's gross revenues. Directs the FCC to initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish a standardized form for use by broadcasting stations to record and report the purchase of advertising time by or on behalf of a candidate for nomination for election, or for election, to Federal elective office.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1497: Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003. 108th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1497/
MLA
"S. 1497: Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003." 108th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1497/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1497, 108th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1497/.
Markdown link
[S. 1497: Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003](https://openamerica.io/bill/108-S-1497/)
Report a problem