Washington D. C. - The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bill on Thursday to delay the national transition to digital television to June 12 from February 17. The main concerns behind the decision are that an estimated 20 million mostly poor, elderly and rural households are not technically ready for the congressionally mandated switch.

Washington - The U.S. Senate on Friday approved the PRO-IP Act, which will beef up penalties and enforcement of intellectual property laws -- but the bill as passed did not include a controversial provision that would have granted the Justice Dept. new authority to prosecute civil copyright infringement cases. The provision about civil copyright enforcement was dropped from the bill after the Bush administration weighed in to complain that it would turn the Justice Dept. into "pro bono lawyers for private copyright holders regardless of their resources."

Washington -The Bush administration's Justice Dept. has weighed in against proposed legislation that would expand the agency's powers so that it could prosecute civil copyright infringement cases, Wired.com reported. "Civil copyright enforcement has always been the responsibility and prerogative of private copyright holders, and U.S. law already provides them with effective legal tools to protect their rights," reads a letter sent by the DOJ to bill sponsors Sens. Patrick Leahy and Arlen Specter.

Washington - The Senate Commerce Committee has announced plans to hold an oversight hearing on the status of the digital TV transition on Sept. 23, Broadcasting & Cable reported. The hearing will assess the FCC and National Telecommunication Information Administration efforts to promote broadcaster and consumer preparedness, as well as the recent test pilot of a digital switchover in Wilmington, N.C. The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold its own oversight hearing on the digital TV transition tomorrow.

Washington - A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would alter royalty rates and add copy-protection requirements to the satellite and Internet radio industries.

Washington - A proposal to prevent big network operators from charging higher fees for faster access to their broadband lines -- commonly referred to as "Net neutrality" -- was resurrected in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.