Yes, you read that right – tripartisan. Catholic News Service says that in the Senate, LPFM is supported by Maria Cantwell (D-WA), recent Republican presidential standard-bearer John McCain (R-AZ) and unaffiliated Bernie Sanders (I-VT), meaning support for the medium is coming from three political directions.
CNR notes that support in the House of Representatives spans the entire ideological spectrum.
Catholic bishops are said to be longtime proponents of LPFM service, and various Catholic organizations have been among the early applicants for stations.
CNR sees the service as a boon not only for religious organizations, but for civic and community groups as well.
The bill has made it out of committee in both houses of Congress. All that is left to make it the law of the land are floor votes in each House, reconciliation if necessary and a presidential autograph.
RBR-TVBR observation: Congress often works in mysterious ways. A bill can seemingly vanish, only to reappear as a rider on completely unrelated legislation or out of a conference committee. Other times they vanish, and stay vanished.
LPFM seems to have almost universal support on the Hill – as well as that famous mansion 16 blocks to the West on Pennsylvania Avenue. But we’ll have to wait and see if it has what it takes to make it to the finish line.
