[South Florida DX Association] ARLB007 Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 Introduced

[Bill Marx]

ZCZC AG07
> QST de W1AW  
> ARRL Bulletin 7  ARLB007
> From ARRL Headquarters  
> Newington CT  March 1, 2005
> To all radio amateurs 
> 
> SB QST ARL ARLB007
> ARLB007 Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 Introduced
> 
> At the urging of the ARRL, Rep Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) has
> introduced The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 into
> the US House of Representatives. The bill, designated HR 691, has
> been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee where
> Bilirakis serves as vice chairman. Like previous versions of the
> proposal, the current measure would require the FCC to provide
> ''equivalent replacement spectrum'' to Amateur Radio if the FCC
> reallocates primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary
> amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such
> bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs.
> 
> ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, says the legislation ''is vital for
> ensuring that the Amateur Radio Service, the only 100-percent fail
> safe emergency communication capability, remains a viable public
> safety option.''
> 
> HR 691 references Amateur Radio's role in providing ''voluntary,
> noncommercial radio service, particularly emergency communications,''
> and it points out that hams have ''consistently and reliably''
> provided communication support in the event of emergencies and
> disasters including tornadoes and hurricanes, chemical spills,
> forest fires and rail accidents. As the measure notes, FCC actions
> already have led to the loss of at least 107 MHz of spectrum to
> radio amateurs.
> 
> Rep Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) has signed on as the bill's first
> co-sponsor.
> 
> Efforts now will focus on attracting additional cosponsors for the
> legislation. The League is encouraging members to urge their
> congressional representatives to sign aboard HR 691. More than 100
> lawmakers agreed to cosponsor similar legislation in the 108th
> Congress, where it was designated HR 713. Work is proceeding to have
> identical legislation introduced in the US Senate.
> 
> The text of HR 691 is available on the Government Printing Office
> Web site 
> http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills
> &docid=f:h691ih.txt.pdf.
> NNNN
> /EX
>