AG33
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 33  ARLB033
>From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  November 19, 2015
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB033
ARLB033 Amateur Radio Parity Act Passes Senate Committee, Gains
Cosponsors

The Amateur Radio Parity Act S. 1685 has been endorsed by the US
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. In the
voice vote on November 18, two Senators - Bill Nelson (D-FL) and
Brian Schatz (D-HI) - asked to be recorded as voting 'no.' The
Committee held an executive session to consider the various
legislative measures and nominations.

'Our work is not finished on the Senate side of Capitol Hill,
although this is a huge step forward,' said ARRL President Kay
Craigie, N3KN.  She urged ARRL members to continue to write, call
and e-mail their Senators about S. 1685 to build up its support for
the future. 'We know that members' response to the call for a
communications blast last week made all the difference for some
Senators on the committee.'

S. 1685 picked up another Senate cosponsor on November 18, when Sen
Jerry Moran (R-KS), who sits on the Commerce Committee, has signed
aboard the bill. 'ARRL members in Kansas should contact his office
to say thanks,' President Craigie said. 'Having an additional
cosponsor who's on the Committee is especially good news.'

On hand to observe the Committee mark-up session were ARRL Hudson
Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ,
and ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD.

President Craigie encouraged ARRL members in Florida and Hawaii to
keep contacting Senators Schatz and Nelson, urging them to change
their minds about the legislation. 'Don't be harsh or angry,' she
advised. 'Keep it factual and courteous, and don't give up.'

On November 5, US Sen Al Franken (D-MN) signed on as the second
cosponsor of S. 1685. That legislation and its US House twin, H.R.
1301, call on the FCC to extend the limited federal pre-emption of
PRB-1 to cover private land-use restrictions such as deed covenants,
conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs). If the legislation becomes
law, radio amateurs living in antenna-restricted communities would
have the opportunity to negotiate with homeowners associations to
install an antenna that reasonably accommodates Amateur Radio
communication.

H.R. 1301 has 114 cosponsors as of November 18. President Craigie
said ARRL members should continue to urge their Representatives to
cosponsor H.R. 1301 and to thank those who already have signed on.

The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 page on the ARRL website has
more information on how you can become involved.  The Amateur Radio
Parity Act of 2015 can be found on the web at,
www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-parity-act .