Please no politics.
Neal k3nc
On Wed, May 6, 2009 at 9:44 AM, bob finger <finger@goeaston.net> wrote:
> Not so sure this thread is tower related, but that said.
>
> It is so very sad that what US citizens once took for granted and did on
> our own now requires legislation and the BIG Government to study,
> oversee, spend money on, write regulations etc etc etc. Amateurs are
> volunteers. Always have been. We don't need big brother to "help us".
> 73 bob de w9ge
>
>
> David Jordan wrote:
>
>> <mailto:richard.reed@hq.dhs.gov> Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
>>Enhancement Act of 2009 (Introduced in House)
>>
>>HR 2160 IH
>>
>>111th CONGRESS
>>
>>1st Session
>>
>>H. R. 2160
>>
>>To 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.
>>
>>IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
>>
>>
>>April 29, 2009
>>
>>
>>Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas (for herself, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Ms.
>>KILROY, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi)
>>introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy
>>and Commerce
>>
>> _____
>>
>>A BILL
>>
>>To 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.
>>
>>Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
>>States of America in Congress assembled,
>>
>>
>>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
>>
>>
>>This Act may be cited as the `Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
>>Enhancement Act of 2009'.
>>
>>
>>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
>>
>>
>>The Congress finds the following:
>>
>>(1) Nearly 700,000 amateurs radio operators in the United States are
>>licensed by the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio
>>Service.
>>
>>(2) Amateur Radio operators provide, on a volunteer basis, a valuable public
>>service to their communities, their States, and to the Nation, especially in
>>the area of national and international disaster communications.
>>
>>(3) Emergency and disaster relief communications services by volunteer
>>Amateur Radio operators have consistently and reliably been provided before,
>>during, and after floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, earthquakes,
>>blizzards, train accidents, chemical spills, and other disasters. These
>>communications services include services in connection with significant
>>examples, such as hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Hugo, and Andrew; the relief
>>effort at the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon following the 2001
>>terrorist attacks; and the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995.
>>
>>(4) Amateur Radio has formal agreements for the provision of volunteer
>>emergency communications activities with the Department of Homeland
>>Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather
>>Service, the National Communications System, and the Association of Public
>>Safety Communications Officials, as well as with disaster relief agencies,
>>including the American National Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
>>
>>(5) The Congress passed Public Law 103-408 which was signed by the President
>>on October 22, 1994. This included in Section 1 the following finding of
>>Congress: `Reasonable accommodation should be made for the effective
>>operation of amateur radio from residences, private vehicles and public
>>areas, and the regulation at all levels of government should facilitate and
>>encourage amateur radio operation as a public benefit.'
>>
>>(6) The Congress passed Public Law 109-295 which was signed by the President
>>on October 4, 2006. This included a provision in the Department of Homeland
>>Security Appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2007 that directed the
>>Department's Regional Emergency Communications Coordinating Working Group to
>>coordinate their activities with `ham and amateur radio operators' among the
>>eleven other emergency organizations such as ambulance services, law
>>enforcement, and others.
>>
>>(7) Amateur Radio, at no cost to taxpayers, provides a fertile ground for
>>technical self-training in modern telecommunications, electronic technology,
>>and emergency communications techniques and protocols.
>>
>>(8) There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of
>>Amateur Radio stations, and that performance must be given support at all
>>levels of government and given protection against unreasonable regulation
>>and impediments to the provision of these valuable communications.
>>
>>
>>SEC. 3. STUDY OF ENHANCED USES OF AMATEUR RADIO IN EMERGENCY AND DISASTER
>>RELIEF COMMUNICATION, AND FOR RELIEF OF RESTRICTIONS.
>>
>>
>>(a) Authority- The Secretary of Homeland Security--
>>
>>(1) shall undertake a study on the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio
>>communications in emergencies and disaster relief; and
>>
>>(2) shall report its findings to Congress not later than 180 days after the
>>date of enactment of this Act.
>>
>>(b) Scope of the Study- The study required by this section shall--
>>
>>(1) include recommendations--
>>
>>(A) for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio licensees
>>in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts; and
>>
>>(B) for improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in planning and in
>>furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security initiatives;
>>
>>(2)(A) identify unreasonable or unnecessary impediments to enhanced Amateur
>>Radio communications, such as the effects of private land use regulations on
>>residential antenna installations; and
>>
>>(B) make recommendations regarding such impediments; and
>>
>>(3)(A) include an evaluation of section 207 of the Telecommunications Act of
>>1996 (Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996)); and
>>
>>(B) make a recommendation whether that section should be modified to prevent
>>unreasonable private land use restrictions that impair the ability of an
>>amateur radio operator licensed by the Federal Communications Commission 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.
>>
>>(c) Use of Expertise and Information- In conducting the study required by
>>this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall--
>>
>>(1) utilize the expertise of the American Radio Relay League, representing
>>the National Amateur Radio community; and
>>
>>(2) seek information from private and public sectors for the study.
>>
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>
>>
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>TowerTalk mailing list
>>TowerTalk@contesting.com
>>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
>>
>>
>>
>
> --
> Bob Finger
> 8511 Swann Haven Road
> Easton MD 21601
> cell 703 408-2176
> e-mail to: Finger@GOEASTON.NET
>
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