Amateur
Radio Spectrum Protection Act Reintroduced in US House
NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 14, 2003--The Amateur
Radio Spectrum Protection Act has again been introduced in the US House of
Representatives. The measure is an ARRL legislative initiative. Florida Rep Michael
Bilirakis put the latest version of the bill, HR 713, into the legislative
hopper on February 12. It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy
and Commerce. When last introduced in 2001, the measure was known as HR 817.
HR 713 is aimed at ensuring the availability
of spectrum to Amateur Radio operators. It would protect existing Amateur Radio
spectrum against reallocations to or sharing with other services unless the FCC
provides "equivalent replacement spectrum" elsewhere. Bilirakis, a Florida
Republican, has twice before sponsored similar legislation at the League's
recommendation. A Senate version of the bill is pending.
The measure would amend the Communications
Act to require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to Amateur
Radio and the Amateur-Satellite Service in the event of a reallocation of
primary amateur allocations, any reduction in secondary amateur allocations, or
"additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce the
utility thereof" to amateurs.
The ARRL is urging members of the Amateur
Radio community to contact their representatives in Congress and request that
they cosponsor HR 713. Experience has shown that, while most members of
Congress understand and appreciate the benefits of Amateur Radio, some may be
reluctant to sign onto a technical piece of legislation without some indication of support from their own constituents. A sample
letter is available on the ARRL Web site.
The 2001 version of the measure attracted 53
cosponsors in the House but last spring became one of many pieces of
legislation caught up in the so-called "Enron logjam," during which the
Internet and Telecommunications Subcommittee did not meet, although its full
committee, Energy and Commerce, held numerous hearings concerning Enron.
The text of HR 713 is expected to be
available within the next few business days via the Thomas Web site.
Page last modified: 01:59 PM, 24 Feb 2003 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2003, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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