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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release March 11, 1998

                    STATEMENT OF VICE PRESIDENT GORE
                 ON FREE TV TIME FOR FEDERAL CANDIDATES

Any serious proposal to reform our nation's campaign finance laws must deal with the skyrocketing costs of running for office. As a result, with the Senate's recent failure to adopt campaign finance reform, Congress should not now turn around and strip the Federal Communications Commission of its ability to consider whether broadcasters should provide free or reduced TV time for federal candidates.

The bipartisan Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters, which the President appointed to explore practical ways to provide free or reduced TV time, is planning to report its findings to me this fall. I eagerly await its findings.

With the possibility of real reform before us, some now want to strip the FCC of the ability to consider an important step forward by attaching restrictive language to a supplemental appropriations bill that contains much-needed funds for not just our troops overseas, but for millions of Americans and their communities hard-hit by floods, ice storms, and other natural disasters.

I urge Congress to reject this proposal and let the work already under way determine how to achieve this important goal.