CALM Act
Public Law 111-311 · S. 2847 · 111th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Dec 15, 2010 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
Cosponsors (7): Sen. Chuck Schumer, Sen. Tim Johnson,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act or the CALM Act - Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe a regulation limiting the volume of television advertisements that is limited to incorporating by reference and making mandatory (but subject to waivers) the "Recommended Practice: Techniques for Establishing and Maintaining Audio Loudness for Digital Television" insofar as such recommended practice concerns the transmission of commercial advertisements by a television broadcast station, cable operator, or other multichannel video programming distributor.
Deems a broadcast television operator, cable operator, or other multichannel video programming distributor that installs, utilizes, and maintains in a commercially reasonable manner the equipment and associated software in compliance with the regulations issued by the FCC in accordance with this Act to be in compliance with such regulations.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
The record lists no related bills.
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 24 actions.
- Dec 15, 2010Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 111-311.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 3, 2010FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Dec 2, 2010FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- OtherOther · Cleared for White House.
- Nov 30, 2010FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Terry objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2847.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Ms. Eshoo moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Nov 15, 2010FloorFloor · Held at the desk.
- FloorFloor · Received in the House.
- Sep 30, 2010FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Sep 29, 2010FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · The committee substitute as amended agreed to by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · By Senator Rockefeller from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report. Report No. 111-340.
- Sep 28, 2010CalendarCalendar · Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 625.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Rockefeller with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
- Jun 9, 2010CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
- Dec 8, 2009CommitteeCommittee · Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- CommitteeCommittee · Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S12710-12711)
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in Senate
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 4687SenateSen. Sheldon WhitehouseD-RI· offered Sep 29, 2010Agreed to
To deem operators and distributors who maintain equipment and software in compliance with the FCC regulations to be in compliance with those regulations.
Sep 29, 2010: Amendment SA 4687 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.