[SFDXA] Amateur Radio Parity Act Passes in the US House of Representativ
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Wed Sep 14 08:01:34 EDT 2016
Amateur Radio Parity Act Passes in the US House of Representatives!
09/14/2016
/“The bill is passed without objection.”/ With those words, Amateur
Radio history was made on September 12, when the US House of
Representatives *approved*
<https://soundcloud.com/user-731126960/house-vote-on-hr-1301-sept-12-2016-from-cspan>
the Amateur Radio Parity Act, *H.R. 1301*
<http://www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-parity-act> on a voice vote under a
suspension of the rules. The focus of the campaign to enact the
legislation into law now shifts to the US Senate. The House victory
culminated many years of effort on ARRL’s part to gain legislation that
would enable radio amateurs living in deed-restricted communities to
erect antennas that support Amateur Radio communication. The measure
calls on the FCC to amend its Part 97 rules “to prohibit the application
to amateur stations of certain private land-use restrictions, and for
other purposes.” While similar bills in past years gained some traction
on Capitol Hill, it was not until the overwhelming grassroots support
from the Amateur Radio community for H.R. 1301 shepherded by ARRL that a
bill made it this far. The legislation faces significant obstacles to
passage in the US Senate, however.
“This is huge step in our effort to enact legislation that will allow
radio amateurs who live in deed-restricted communities the ability to
construct an effective outdoor antenna,” ARRL President Rick Roderick,
K5UR, said. “Thanks to everyone for their help in this effort thus far.
Now we must turn our full attention to getting the bill passed in the
Senate.”
ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, who chairs the ARRL
Board’s Legislative Advocacy Committee, has been heavily involved in
efforts to move H.R. 1301 forward. “This has been a multiyear effort
that is finally seeing some light,” he said. “The passage of the bill in
the House is a major accomplishment, due to the hard work of so many —
from the rank-and-file member to the officers and directors.”
Lisenco said it’s not a time to rest on our laurels. “We are only
halfway there. The focus now shifts to our effort in the Senate,” he
said. “We are beginning a massive e-mail campaign in which we need every
member to write their two Senators using our simplified process. You
will be hearing from President Roderick and from your Directors, asking
you to go to our ‘*Rally Congress*
<https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-senate-to-support-amateur-radio-parity-act>’
page. Using your ZIP code, e-mails will be generated much like our
recent letter campaign. You’ll fill in your name and address and press
Enter. The e-mails will be sent directly to your Senators without you
having to search through their websites.”
Lisenco said getting these e-mails to members’ Senators is a critical
part of the process. “Those numbers matter! Please help us help you by
participating in this effort,” he said.
As the *amended bill*
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Regulatory/ParityAct-SubstituteBill-Official-2016.pdf>
provides, “Community associations should fairly administer private
land-use regulations in the interest of their communities, while
nevertheless permitting the installation and maintenance of effective
outdoor Amateur Radio antennas. There exist antenna designs and
installations that can be consistent with the aesthetics and physical
characteristics of land and structures in community associations while
accommodating communications in the Amateur Radio services.”
During this week’s limited debate, the House bill’s sponsor, Rep Adam
Kinzinger (R-IL), thanked ARRL and the Community Associations Institute
(CAI) for reaching an agreement to move the bill forward “in a
bipartisan and very positive manner.” He pointed out to his colleagues
that Amateur Radio antennas are prohibited outright in some areas.
“For some this is merely a nuisance,” Kinzinger said, “but for others —
those that use their Amateur Radio license for life-saving emergency
communications — a dangerous situation can be created by limiting their
ability to establish effective communication for those in need.”
Kinzinger said that in emergencies, hams can provide “a vital and
life-saving function” when conventional communication systems are down.
He also praised the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS), a US
Department of Defense-sponsored program, comprised largely of Amateur
Radio volunteers, that also supports communication during emergencies
and disasters.
Cosponsor US Rep Joe Courtney (D-CT) also urged the bill’s passage.
“This is not just a feel-good bill,” Courtney said, recounting how
Hurricane Sandy brought down the power grid, and “we saw all the
advanced communications we take for granted…completely fall by the
wayside.” Ham radio volunteers provided real-time communication in the
storm’s wake, he said, saying the legislation was a way “to rebalance
things” for radio amateurs who choose to live in deed-restricted
neighborhoods by enabling them to install “non-intrusive antennas.”
Courtney noted that he spoke recently with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, and
said that Wheeler “strongly supports this legislation.”
Leading up to the vote, Rep Paul Tonko (D-NY) also spoke in support of
the legislation, calling it a commonsense approach that would build
“fairness into the equation for Amateur Radio operators” in dealing with
homeowners associations.
The earlier U.S. Senate version of the Amateur Radio Parity Act, S.
1685, no longer is in play, and the Senate is expected to vote by
unanimous consent on the version of H.R. 1301 that was adopted by the
House on September 12.
http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-parity-act-passes-in-the-us-house-of-representatives
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