The House Energy and Commerce Committee decided not to hold its mark-up of the spectrum bill today. However, they are still working on a draft bill that may be considered by the Communications and Technology Subcommittee later this week or next week.
The IAFC continues to ask its members to contact the following Members of Congress:
- Mary Bono Mack (R-CA): 202-225-5330
- Brian Bilbray (R-CA): 202-225-0508
- Phil Gingrey (R-GA): 202-225-2931
- Brett Guthrie (R-KY): 202-225-3501
- Adam Kinzinger (R-IL): 202-225-3635
- Steve Scalise (R-LA): 202-225-3015
- Mike Rogers (R-MI): 202-225-4872
- Charlie Bass (R-NH): 202-225-5206
- Bob Latta (R-OH): 202-225-6405
If one of these Representatives represent you, please continue to contact them about the importance of allocating the D Block to public safety. (You can use the talking points listed below).
Thanks for all of your help!
Ken LaSala
Director of Government Relations and Policy
International Association of Fire Chiefs
703-273-9815 x347
TALKING POINTS
Please urge these members to:
1) Vote to pass the amendment to allocate the D Block to public safety.
2) Oppose the final passage of the bill, if it does not allocate the D Block to public safety.
Be sure to point out the following facts:
· The establishment of a public safety wireless broadband network will revolutionize emergency operations by providing real-time video and data.
· The recent natural disasters demonstrated the need for public safety to have its own broadband network for communications, because the commercial networks continue to crash due to the high volumes of traffic during mass emergency situations.
· To run an effective network, public safety needs 20 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHZ band.
· Currently, public safety has 10 MHz, and the 10 MHz of the D Block is adjacent to the spectrum currently licensed to public safety.
· Please ask the staffer for a response about how the Representative voted