Congress gives 1 to 3 billion dollars to buy digital converter boxes

So Congress is in the process of passing a bill which will set a deadline for when broadcasters must have all digital transmissions. This dealine is April 7, 2009. This means that on that date if you don't have a telivision able to recieve a digital signal (such as an HDTV), you must buy a digital to analog converter box. If you don't have one, you wont be able to get any television signal.
Well, Congress has decided that they are going to fund 1-3 billion, yes BILLION ($1 billion approved in senate, and $3 billion approved in the House) dollars to buy millions of Americans these boxes. This raises the question, isnt there something better we could be spending our money on? I understand that the point is that people need TV to get vital information in times of crisis, BUT there are things we call radios. Currently, there are millions of people who don't have televisions, so I dont know how this is a justified reason.
Let's face it, TV as we know it now is free. It will continue to be free after it goes all digital. There is one catch though, you must have a television. It's very simple, if you can't afford a television, you dont watch TV. So, if you can't afford a digital to analog converter, you dont watch TV. Americans have four years before they must either buy a new television or buy a digital converter box. I'm thinking if you just save about 2 bucks a month, you should be able to buy your own converter box (although they are pretty expensive now, in four years, they'll be much cheaper). So, why does the government feel that TV is a necessity and everyone, even though they cant afford it, must have one? Maybe they'll pay for my cable bill too?!?!....