Senate passes spending bill with new DTV hard date, 51-50

Washington (DC) - Reuters is reporting this morning that the US Senate has passed the House’s version of the Deficit Reduction Act, by a vote of 51-50, with Vice President Dick Cheney casting the tie-breaking vote. The Act contains language that makes 17 February 2009 the official "hard date" for the end of analog television broadcasting in the US, and the transition to DTV.

The bill creating the Act also includes cuts in social welfare programs, including measure that would encourage states to reduce their own welfare roles. Such language was just were unpopular enough among the Senate’s Republican majority to produce a 50-50 tie. Such a condition forces the Vice President, in his role as President of the Senate, to cast the tie-breaking vote. Minor changes were reportedly made to the bill, which will probably force the House to approve those changes in a floor vote tomorrow.

As a deficit reduction measure, the Act is estimated to reduce spending by a mere $1.6 billion over five years.