Good Evening,

Yesterday, Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney’s office reached out to me asking for help. Representatives Chris Collins and Paul Tonko were circulating a letter to the Chairman of the FCC in which they ask the FCC to crack down on Pirate Radio Stations in the metropolitan New York region. The Congressmen recognize that this ongoing problem has been ignored by the FCC and that the situation has become critical by the impending radical reduction of the FCC Enforcement Bureau.

Before Mr. Maloney signed on, his office asked us for information and our comments. After speaking to me and receiving background information from Chris Imlay, Mr. Maloney’s office decided to support his colleagues and sign their letter.

This is the first time, to my knowledge, that a Congressional office has asked for our advice in making a decision. In my visits to D.C., I have been asked if we would be willing perform this service by other Congressional staffers as well, but this is the first time it has actually happened.

I bring this to the ODV’s attention to demonstrate why our lobbying efforts for HR-1301 are so important to the ARRL and the future of Amateur Radio. It’s simply this: by establishing our brand and our credibility with members of Congress and their respective staffs, we are no longer outsiders looking in. We have made ourselves a very real part of the process.

And this is why every cent that we spend on our continuing legislative effort is worth it.

Congratulations to all who have been an active part of this campaign.

73 de Mike N2YBB