[HCRA] FW: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009

[n1kxr at comcast.net]

Greetings, 
The below text message is being forwarded by; 
Richard H. Wheeler - N1KXR 
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HOUSTON REPRESENTATIVE INTRODUCES AMATEUR RADIO BILL IN CONGRESS 

On Wednesday, April 29, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) 
introduced HR 2160 -- the "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications 
Enhancement Act of 2009" -- in the US House of Representatives. This 
bill, if passed, would "promote and encourage the valuable public 
service, disaster relief, and emergency communications provided on a 
volunteer basis by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in 
the Amateur Radio Service, by undertaking a study of the uses of Amateur 
Radio for emergency and disaster relief communications, by identifying 
unnecessary or unreasonable impediments to the deployment of Amateur 
Radio emergency and disaster relief communications, and by making 
recommendations for relief of such unreasonable restrictions so as to 
expand the uses of Amateur Radio communications in Homeland Security 
planning and response." The bill has been referred to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce 
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h2160ih.txt.pdf 

If enacted into law, HR 2160, would instruct the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to undertake a study and report its findings to Congress within 
180 days. The study would spell out uses and capabilities of Amateur 
Radio communications in emergencies and disaster relief. The study 
shall: 

* Include recommendations for enhancements in the voluntary deployment 
of Amateur Radio licensees in disaster and emergency communications and 
disaster relief efforts. 
* Include recommendations for improved integration of Amateur Radio 
operators in planning and in furtherance of the Department of Homeland 
Security initiatives. 
* Identify unreasonable or unnecessary impediments to enhanced Amateur 
Radio communications -- such as the effects of private land use 
regulations on residential antenna installations -- and make 
recommendations regarding such impediments. 
* Include an evaluation of Section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of 
1996 (Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat 56 [1996]). 
* Recommend whether Section 207 should be modified to prevent 
unreasonable private land use restrictions that impair the ability of 
amateurs to conduct, or prepare to conduct, emergency communications by 
means of effective outdoor antennas and support structures at reasonable 
heights and dimensions for the purpose in residential areas. 

The Secretary of Homeland Security shall utilize the expertise of the 
ARRL and shall seek information from private and public sectors for the 
study. 

The bill currently has five co-sponsors: Madeleine Bordallo (Guam), Mary 
Jo Kilroy (D-OH), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) and 
Bennie Thompson (D-MS). Representative Thompson currently serves as 
Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security. Representatives 
Jackson-Lee, Lofgren and Kilroy are members of that committee. 

"We understand that Representative Jackson-Lee was very impressed with 
the radio amateurs she encountered on a visit to an Emergency Operations 
Center in Houston during Hurricane Ike last September," said ARRL Chief 
Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "We are grateful to her and to the 
five original co-sponsors for their support of Amateur Radio and the 
encouragement that their bill offers." 

ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, concurred: "We are excited to have 
Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee introduce HR 2160. It is extremely 
encouraging to have the support of a number of original co-sponsors -- 
including several members of the House Homeland Security Committee -- 
who recognize the importance of Amateur Radio's long history of public 
service." 

++++++++++++++++++++ 

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole 
or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be 
given to The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League. 

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