United States · Bill · S
S. 1497 (108th)
Our Democracy, Our Airwaves Act of 2003
Introduced
30 July 2003
Last action
30 July 2003 · Introduced
Status
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10272-10275)
Sponsors
Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ], Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Corzine, Jon S. [D-NJ]
Subjects
Discovery layer
Source updated
10 February 2026
Summary
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.
This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.
Timeline
30 July 2003
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (text of measure as introduced: CR S10272-10275)
Source: IntroReferral
30 July 2003
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10272)
Source: IntroReferral
30 July 2003
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
Votes
No vote records are attached yet.
Versions
- Introduced in Senate · 30 July 2003 · Download file
Documents
3 official files
Introduced in Senate (text)
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Introduced in Senate (text)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 30 July 2003
Introduced in Senate (PDF)
Introduced in Senate · EN · 30 July 2003
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Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 30 July 2003
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Vertaal dit document naar jouw taal. PoliticalRepo bewaart geen aparte kopie per EU-taal.
Documentvertaling op verzoek met downloadbare PDF (logo + link naar de officiële bron). Het bronbestand blijft leidend.
Sponsors
- Sen. McCain, John [R-AZ] · R · Sponsor
- Sen. Feingold, Russell D. [D-WI] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] · D · Sponsor
- Sen. Corzine, Jon S. [D-NJ] · D · Cosponsor
- · sscm00 · Standing
Related records
No cross-record relationships stored yet.
Sources
PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.
- Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/108th-congress/senate-bill/1497
- Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/108/s/1497
- us · 108-s-1497 · source updated 10 February 2026