‰ NOW 40 WPM ‰ BY CARMELO RIVERA OF NOAA/ DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, SIVERLING SAID AFTERWARD. THIS IS THE WORKING GROUP THAT WILL DEVELOP PROPOSALS FROM THE AMERICAS REGION TO WRC 19. SIVERLING SAID THAT, WHILE ITS STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS, THE WORKING GROUP CONTINUED TO IDENTIFY DELEGATES WHO WILL ATTEND WRC 19 TO SERVE AS CHAPTER CHAIRMEN AND AGENDA ITEM RAPPORTEURS. THE US PROPOSED SIVERLING TO SERVE AS THE ALTERNATE RAPPORTEUR FOR WRC 19 AGENDA ITEM 1R1, TO CONSIDER AN ALLOCATI HAPPENINGS RICK LINDQUIST, WW1ME, WW1ME ARRL. ORG AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT INTRODUCED IN US SENATE INTRODUCTION OF S. 1534 REPRESENTS ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR PARITY BILL. THE AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT OF 2017 WAS INTRODUCED IN THE US SENATE ON JULY 12, MARKING ANOTHER STEP FORWARD FOR THIS LANDMARK LEGISLATION. SENATORS ROGER WICKER, R MS AND RICHARD BLUMENTHAL D CT WERE THE SENATE SPONSORS. THE MEASURE WILL, FOR THE FIRST TIME, GUARANTEE ALL RADIO AMATEURS LIVING IN DEED RESTRICTED COMMUNITIES GOVERNED BY A HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION HOA OR SUBJECT TO ANY PRIVATE LAND USE REGULATIONS, THE RIGHT TO ERECT AND MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE OUTDOOR ANTENNAS AT THEIR HOMES. THE SENATE BILL, S. 1534, IS IDENTICAL TO H. R. 555, WHICH PASSED THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN JANUARY. AMATEUR RADIO CONTINUES TO BE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS OPERATIONS, WICKER SAID. MISSISSIPPIANS LEARNED FIRSTHAND AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA HOW AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS CAN PROVIDE A RESILIENT, DISTRIBUTED NETWORK TO FIRST RESPONDERS AND DISASTER RELIEF ORGANIZATIONS WHEN OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS FAIL. AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS PROVIDE AN INVALUABLE SERVICE TO THEIR COMMUNITIES BY ASSISTING LOCAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION EFFORTS WHEN DISASTERS OCCUR AND MAIN LINES ARE DOWN, BLUMENTHAL SAID. THIS BIPARTISAN MEASURE ENSURES THAT OPERATORS HAVE ACCESS TO THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN LIVES ARE AT STAKE. ARRL PRESIDENT RICK RODERICK, K5UR, EXPRESSED THE LEAGUES APPRECIATION TO THE SENATE SPONSORS. ARRL IS GRATEFUL FOR THE SUPPORT OF SENATORS WICKER AND BLUMENTHAL FOR SPONSORING THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION, AND FOR ADVOCATING THIS BILL FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, HE SAID. THEIR CONTINUING SUPPORT IS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF OUR EFFORTS. PRESIDENT RODERICK ALSO THANKED SENATOR JOHN THUNE R SD, WHO CHAIRS THE SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE, FOR CHAMPIONING THE PARITY ACT IN THE SENATE SINCE THE BEGINNING OF OUR EFFORT. THE BILL HAS ENJOYED WIDESPREAD, BIPARTISAN SUPPORT. IN THE 114TH CONGRESS, NEARLY 130 COSPONSORS SIGNED ONTO THE LEGISLATION IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. THE LEGISLATION, WHICH STRIKES A CAREFULLY CRAFTED BALANCE FOR ALL CONCERNED PARTIES, IS THE RESULT OF MONTHS OF WORK CULMINATING IN THE ACCORD REACHED BY ARRL AND THE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS INSTITUTE CAI. THE MEASURE PROVIDES FOR THE GUARANTEE OF AN EFFECTIVE OUTDOOR ANTENNA WHILE PROTECTING THE AESTHETIC CONCERNS OF HOAS. IN A STATEMENT, ARRL SAID IT LOOKS FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE BIPARTISAN LEADERSHIP OF THE SENATE AND ‰ END OF 40 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ