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Abstract
Ms. [Bernadette McGuire-Rivera] said allowing consumers to reapply for coupons would encourage them to procrastinate in getting converter boxes. "We don't want a rush at the end of the year," she said, stressing the need for outreach to focus on not just applying for coupons but redeeming them. She also said the cost of reissuing coupons would be "breathtaking," - perhaps two to three times the cost of issuing an original coupon.
In response to questions from Reps. [Edward J. Markey] and [Cliff Stearns], Ms. McGuire-Rivera also said NTIA might have to seek additional funds from Congress to administer the second phase of the coupon program. That's because of the cost of postage to mail out "recycled" coupons, as well as the additional costs of mailing additional coupons to nursing home residents and consumers with post office boxes. "We may, in fact, need a little bit more to continue to recycle coupons," she said. "My preference would be not to have to ask for money, quite frankly."
Rep. Charles A. Gonzalez (D., Texas) expressed concern that 58% of coupon recipients had failed to redeem coupons. "I think we're going to run into some serious problems," he said. "I think we're going to have the avalanche of activity" shortly before the February 2009 transition.
Mark Lloyd, vice president-strategic initiatives for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, echoed the complaints of Rep. [Bart Stupak] and others about the short supply of converter boxes in some stores. He also said that consumers should be able to use their coupons to preorder boxes and to reapply for those that expire. "The coupon program began well before there were sufficient converter boxes on the shelves," he said. "Many who rushed to get their coupons have felt compelled to either purchase the more expensive converter boxes or to watch their coupons expire. Converter boxes are not available or are in short supply in many rural areas. We have been told that many large national retailers refuse to accept coupons for mail-order or Internet purchases of converter boxes."