Mike No one to date at Congress has been willing to demand a timeline for action from the FCC on ARRL matters. Wicker just demanded one. The letter does direct the FCC to set a timeline for resolution. Can Rosenworcel ignore Sen. Wicker? Can Roseworcel refuse to set and then adhere to the timeline? Of course, but not without some consequences. Which/what consequences? That will depend on Sen. Wicker. Sen. Blumenthal made a polite request for an update in January; it was ignored, as was Cong. Kinzinger's. We are working with Sen. Bluementhal's staff to obtain an aggressive letter similar to Sen. Wickers'. There are no guarantees in life or at Congress — but if we don't ask, we don't get. Previous Congressional letters requested an update — this letter is the first that demand ANY action. Parallel to Sen. Wicker's polite demand for action is the draft legislation that Rep. Lesko (R-AZ) has agreed to file on behalf of the League, which, if passed, will order the FCC to remove the symbol rate and impose a 2.8 KHz bandwidth. If the right hand don't get you, the left one will. Follow on legislation, if it is necessary, is intended to address technician privileges, the League's band plan request and the amplifier gain issue. _______________________________________ John Robert Stratton N5AUS Director West Gulf Division Office:512-445-6262 Cell:512-426-2028 P.O. Box 2232 Austin, Texas 78768-2232 *_______________________________________*** ** On 10/4/22 6:37 PM, Michael Ritz wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this just tells FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel that Sen. Wicker would like the pending petitions acted upon, but doesn't really direct her to do anything. In real terms, is this really significant? What are the /real/ odds of something happening here?
73; Mike W7VO
On 10/04/2022 3:18 PM John Robert Stratton <n5aus@n5aus.com> wrote:
Lest there is any doubt that both the time and money spent on lobbying Congress does not produce any benefit, I submit the enclosed letter sent by Sen. Wicker to FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel on behalf of the ARRL and our Members.
The Legislative Advocacy Committee has been working with multiple Congressional offices to bring pressure to bear on the FCC to move the multiple Amateur Radio related matters that have been languishing for years at the FCC.
Sen. Blumenthal (D-CT) and Cong. Kinzinger (R-IL), acting at the League's request, submitted similar requests to Chairwoman Rosenworcel in the early Spring. But, those requests, while greatly appreciated, were not as strong or as direct as Sen. Wicker's.
The LAC, David Siddall, Pres. Roderick and our lobbyists met with Sen. Wicker's staff and with Sen. Wicker's staff on the Commerce Committee during our trip to Washington , DC in September to again request his assistance in moving the FCC off the dime. That visit and our years long relationship with Sen. Wicker has borne fruit. Sen. Wicker is the Ranking Member on the Commerce Committee; an "inquiry" and a demand for a timeline from a Senator as Senior and as powerful as Sen. Wicker carries weight.
I would suggest that publishing a news item on the website that would feature this letter would be welcomed by the Members, would be appreciated by Sen. Wicker, and would send a message to Washington that Amateur Radio has powerful friends.
_______________________________________
John Robert Stratton
N5AUS
Director
West Gulf Division
Office:512-445-6262
Cell:512-426-2028
P.O. Box 2232
Austin, Texas 78768-2232
*_______________________________________*
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