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 Previous: The K7VVV Solar Update |  Next: Surfin': AM in the PM and the AM |
 ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, and Sen Michael Crapo (R-ID), sponsor of the Senate version of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2003. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Mar 7, 2003--The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2003 now has been introduced in both chambers of Congress. Idaho Sen Michael Crapo introduced the Senate version of the bill, S 537, on March 6. Original cosponsors were Sen Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Sen Larry Craig (R-ID). Florida Rep Michael Bilirakis put the latest House version of the bill, HR 713, into the legislative hopper on February 12. The measures, an ARRL initiative, have been introduced twice before in Congress. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, believes this third time could be the proverbial charm.
"Actually, this is the best opportunity that we've ever had to get this bill through, because more members of Congress than ever before are paying attention to ham radio now," said Haynie, who's been in Washington this week to speak about Amateur Radio issues with lawmakers and regulators. In addition, Haynie pointed out, the House and Senate will be considering major spectrum reform bills, and the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act could serve as an amendment to that sort of legislation.
HR 713 and S 537 are aimed at ensuring the availability of spectrum to Amateur Radio operators. The legislation would protect existing Amateur Radio spectrum against reallocations to or sharing with other services unless the FCC provides "equivalent replacement spectrum" elsewhere. Bilirakis and Crapo, both Republicans, have twice before sponsored similar legislation at the League's recommendation.
Haynie encouraged members of the Amateur Radio community to contact their senators and representatives to urge their cosponsorship, which lends support to legislation while it's in committee. The House bill has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce; the Senate bill will be considered by the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
In addition, although more members of Congress than ever understand and appreciate the benefits of Amateur Radio, some may remain reluctant to sign onto a technical piece of legislation without some indication of support from their own constituents.
"The League is doing all it can, but we know the success or failure will be in the hands of the amateur community," said Haynie, who pledged the ARRL's continuing efforts in Washington to get the bill enacted. "Letters and e-mails are the key to getting legislation passed."
A sample letter is available on the ARRL Web site. Those writing their lawmakers are asked to copy their correspondence to the League via e-mail at specbill03@arrl.org.
The measures 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 text of HR 713 and S 537 is available (or will soon be available) via the Thomas Web site.
Haynie Spends Week Promoting Amateur Radio
Haynie--the ARRL's top-ranking volunteer official--has been in Washington all week on a wide-ranging round of visits on behalf of Amateur Radio to government agencies and Capitol Hill. Haynie said he enjoys--and prefers--to deal as directly as possible with the various departments and agencies that can affect Amateur Radio.
A stop at the FCC was near the top of his itinerary. His first call there was at the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau with Bill Cross, W3TN, who handles most petitions involving Amateur Radio. That includes an FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making proposing new bands at 136 kHz and 5 MHz and primary status for amateurs at 2400 to 2402 MHz--the result of an ARRL Petition for Rule Making. A Report and Order is pending.
At the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology, Haynie discussed--among other topics--unlicensed Part 15 devices proposed for deployment on amateur allocations, including the SAVI Technology proposal to deploy RF identification tags on a segment of 70 cm. He also met with Barry Ohlson, the legal advisor to FCC Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein--the FCC's newest member--to introduce Adelstein's office to Amateur Radio.
Haynie sat down with officials at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) regarding questions raised late last year about the ARRL's 5 MHz band petition (and the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rule Making on the subject). Also on the table were issues surrounding a worldwide "harmonized" 300 kHz allocation on 40 meters and the deployment of so-called RLAN (radio local-area network) devices that could affect the amateur 5 GHz allocation.
 Haynie mugs for the camera with Rep Pete Sessions (R-TX), his friend and congressman. Haynie calls Sessions "a good friend" of Amateur Radio. |
Additionally, Haynie met with officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), conferred with the staff of the ARRL's Washington office to discuss spectrum and other issues, and met with AMSAT directors and representatives for an update on AMSAT activities and ARRL-AMSAT cooperative ventures.
On Capitol Hill, Haynie met with legislative staffers in the offices of three members of the House Commerce Committee. He also stopped by to visit Rep Pete Sessions (R-TX), a longtime friend and Amateur Radio supporter who, because of redistricting, now is Haynie's representative in Congress. "He's a good friend of ham radio," Haynie said of Sessions, who signed on in the last Congress as an original cosponsor of ARRL-initiated legislation to provide relief to amateurs prevented by private deed covenants, conditions and restrictions--CC&Rs--from installing outdoor antennas.
Haynie said he left a copy of the Amateur Radio Today
CD-ROM video presentation with everyone he called on. "The response has been
outstanding," he said.
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