Help Premote These Bills!

US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, finds FCC Violated Administrative Procedure Act in its BPL Decision. The Court agreed with the ARRL that the FCC had failed to comply with the APA by not fully disclosing for public comment the staff studies on which it relied. The Court also agreed with the ARRL that the Commission erred in not providing a reasoned justification for its choice of an extrapolation factor of 40 dB per decade for Access BPL systems and in offering "no reasoned explanation for its dismissal of empirical data that was submitted at its invitation. This means the FCC doesn’t have to retract BPL just that they need to redefine it. So, where does that leave us, the Amateur population? Needing some type of legislation before the FCC can change or make any new rules.

Senate Bill (S-1629): Emergency Amateur Radio Interference Protection Act of 2007. A bill to request a study by the Federal Communications Commission on the interference caused by broadband Internet transmission over power lines. Sponsor Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) cosponsor Sen. Michael Crapo [R-ID]. Also, House of Representatives (H.R. 462): Emergency Amateur Radio Interference Protection Act of 2007 To request a study by the Federal Communications Commission on the interference caused by broadband internet transmission over power lines. Sponsor Rep. Mike Ross [D-AR] and cosponsors Rep. John Barrow [D-GA], Rep. Roscoe Bartlett [R-MD], Rep. Baron Hill [D-IN], Rep. Steve Israel [D-NY], Rep. Ron Lewis [R-KY], Rep. Michael McNulty [D-NY], Rep. Tim Murphy [R-PA], Rep. Sue Myrick [R-NC], Rep. Ronald Paul [R-TX], Rep. Collin Peterson [D-MN], Rep. David Price [D-NC], Rep. Bart Stupak [D-MI], Rep. Timothy Walberg [R-MI].

People, who think members of Congress or the House of Representatives pay little or no attention to constituent mail, are plain wrong. Concise, well thought out personal letters are one of the most effective ways Americans have of influencing lawmakers. But, members of Congress and the House of Representatives get hundreds of letters and emails every day. Whether you choose to use the Postal Service or email, here are some tips that will help your letter have impact. Most of the time, we as Amateurs, write our Senators or House of Representatives complaining that a certain Act or Bill will not be good for Amateur Radio. But, this time we all need to write and let our Representatives know that we would like them to support these Bills and that we appreciate the fact that they are looking into the future of the service of Amateur Radio. If you’re not sure who to write then go to the leagues web site (http://www.arrl.org) click on Members Only and a new page will pop up with the listings of the Congressman/Congresswomen, Senators and House of Representatives in your District.

There is also a sample letter there that is already written for you. Copy and paste it into an email and fill in the appropriate places with the Representatives name, then the place with your name and information in the proper places. We must make sure we can congratulate as well as complain. Remembering that no matter what way we do it we must do it with respect to them and in confidence. Here are some examples for writing a Senator, Congressman/Congresswomen or House of Representative.

It's usually best to send letters to the Representative from your local Congressional District or the Senators from your state. Your vote helps elect them -- or not -- and that fact alone carries a lot of weight.

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John D. Meyers, NB4K

Great Lakes Legislative Action Coordinator

Great Lakes Division