Jan. 28 (Bloomberg) -- House Republicans blocked legislation backed by President Barack Obama that would delay next month’s transition to digital television until June 12.

The 258-168 vote was short of the two-thirds margin needed to pass the measure under procedures usually used for noncontroversial items.

House Democrats, who control the agenda, will probably bring the legislation up again next week using procedures that require a simple majority for passage, Representative Rick Boucher, a Virginia Democrat, said in an interview. “We know we have the votes,” Boucher said.

The Obama administration supports moving back the planned Feb. 17 date, in part because a program to subsidize equipment that some people need to view digital programming ran low on funds and left more than 3 million requests on a waiting list.

Republicans said a delay would cause confusion and put off when airwaves are available for emergency workers’ radios and advanced wireless devices.

“We could do nothing worse than to delay this date,” said Representative Joe Barton, of Texas, who was one of 155 Republicans opposing the measure. In debate on the bill yesterday he said the number of U.S. households vulnerable to losing TV service with the switch “is less than 1 million. We think it’s about 800,000.”

“I guarantee you no matter when you set the date, February 17, June 12, July the 4th, Valentine’s Day, there are going to be some people that aren’t ready,” Barton said.

‘Necessary Step’

Major TV stations are to stop sending traditional analog signals when the change occurs. More than 6.5 million homes aren’t able to receive digital TV programming, the Nielsen Co. said last week.

The Senate approved delaying the date in voting Jan. 26. Senator Jay Rockefeller, a West Virginia Democrat who sponsored the measure, said he was “deeply disappointed that Republicans blocked” the House bill.

“They have made certain that far too many consumers across the country will wake up on February the 18th and find that their television sets have gone dark,” Rockefeller said.

Congress should allocate $250 million to help consumers buy digital equipment rather than postpone the date, Barton, the top Republican on the Commerce Committee, said in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after today’s vote.

A delay is “a highly regrettable, but necessary, step,” Boucher of Virginia said yesterday.

Avoiding Disruption

“With this delay, and the additional funding for the program which the stimulus measure will provide, we can assure a smooth transition and avoid the disruption and the loss of television service by millions of American homes,” Boucher said. Democrats have proposed adding $650 million to the subsidy program.

The waiting list at the government program that offers $40 coupons to help with the purchase of digital converter boxes has grown to 3.2 million requests, the government said today.

Most TV viewers needn’t take action when the switch happens because they subscribe to cable or satellite services that will make sure they still get pictures. Analog TV sets connected to antennas will need the converter boxes, which cost $40 to $70 at retail.

Obama’s Support

Obama’s transition team called on Jan. 8 for postponing the date. It said poor, elderly and rural Americans face difficulties from the analog cutoff, and pointed to the waiting list at the subsidy program.

The government mandated the change to digital service to raise money by auctioning airwaves used by TV’s analog broadcasts, to free spectrum for use by emergency workers and to provide more channels and crisper pictures.

Most major TV stations already are sending digital signals alongside their analog stream. Digital signals may be more prone to interference than analog for some viewers.

Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc., which together spent $16 billion for access to the airwaves that will become available after analog TV transmissions cease, have told Congress they could accept a brief delay. The companies plan to offer advanced wireless services including Internet access over the spectrum.

To contact the reporter on this story: Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: January 28, 2009 18:29 EST