Ever notice that television commercials are often louder than the show you were watching? It could be on purpose to catch your attention or a side effect of different compression techniques. Either way it sends many viewers scrambling for the volume button. Both the Senate and Congress have approved a bill that would require the FCC “to adopt industry standards that coordinate ad decibel levels to those of the regular program.” In characteristic politician-speak, Senate bill sponsor Sheldon Whitehouse (R.I.) stated “Every American has likely experienced the frustration of abrasively loud television commercials…(It) adds unnecessary stress to the daily lives of many Americans.” The name of the bill is the Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act, or CALM Act.