The House on Wednesday failed to approve a measure that would move the digital television transition from February 17 to June 12.

Members voted 258 to 168 to pass the bill, dubbed the DTV Delay Act, but it failed to receive a two-thirds majority, as required by bills placed on the suspension calendar.

Placing items on the suspension calendar is a procedural tactic usually reserved for non-controversial bills that Congress wants to pass quickly. Debate is restricted to 40 minutes, members cannot add amendments, and the bill must receive a two-thirds majority.

The bill is not dead, however. The House can still bring the bill up for a vote the "regular" way, which allows for lengthier debate, the addition of amendments, and a majority rules vote, but that has not yet been scheduled.

TV broadcast stations are federally mandated to switch from analog to digital signals by February 17 in order to free up spectrum for public safety and other uses. Recent concerns about consumer preparedness, funding for the government-sponsored converter box coupon program, and possible loss of service, however, prompted the Obama administration to ask that the transition be delayed.

The Senate approved the bill on Monday, but House Republicans were not as enthused.

The bill is "a solution looking for a problem," Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said during the Tuesday night floor debate. "We could do nothing worse than to delay this date."

"There has been a massive public awareness campaign that has been very successful," said Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a Virginia Republican. "The U.S. industry has had almost three years and the American public is ready."

Delaying the transition "undermines the government's credibility," Rep. George Radanovich, a California Republican, said Wednesday morning.

Democrat Rick Boucher of Virginia, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce technology subcommittee, said the delay was regrettable but necessary because so many Americans are reportedly not prepared. He pointed to a Thursday report from Nielsen that said 6.5 million households--or 5.7 percent of all homes--are not ready and would likely not have service on February 18