September 10, 2004                                                                                    AMENDMENT ONE

SPECIAL EDITION

S. 2505 AWAITS YOUR SUPPORT!!

By Don Schellhardt

 I am bringing this column “out of retirement”, temporarily, in order to highlight for you a precious opportunity.     That opportunity is the enactment of S. 2505:    radio reform legislation that is sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-AZ, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Minority Member Patrick Leahy, D-VT, and Senate Commerce Committee Member Maria Cantwell, D-WA.   

If enacted, this bill would finally repeal the adjacent channel spacing restrictions that were imposed on Low Power FM radio stations by a “lame duck” Session of Congress in December of 2000.     This month   --    September of 2004   --   could be the month when S. 2505 becomes the law of the land, but whether that happens depends in large part upon how many people like you are willing to contact legislators in Congress.  

Many of you may remember that the Senate Commerce Committee voted in June to approve S. 2505.      The bill itself passed on a voice vote:   in essence, unanimously.    Before that unanimous vote, however, the Committee rejected only narrowly   --   by a margin of 12 to 10   --   an amendment, offered by Senator Conrad Burns, R-MT, which would have weakened the bill considerably.      All of the Committee’s Democrats voted against the Burns amendment, but most of the Committee’s Republicans voted for it.  

Now the McCain/Leahy/Cantwell bill is in line for a vote by the full Senate.    The primary lesson learned from the Committee experience is that most Senate Republicans    --     not all, but most   --    continue to oppose adjacent channel spacing reform for Low Power FM stations.     Thus, U.S. Senators in general, and Republican U.S. Senators in particular, need to hear from people like us before the full Senate vote occurs this month.  

The secondary lesson learned from the Committee experience is that opponents of S. 2505 may again avoid a frontal assault on the bill and offer a weakening amendment instead.      Thus, in your communications to Capitol Hill, you should not simply urge a “Yes” vote on S. 2505.     You should instead urge “support for the enactment of S. 2505, without any weakening amendments”.  

Another key point is that we need to contact Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, as well as Members of the U.S. Senate.    If the full Senate votes “Yes” on S. 2505 this year, the bill must then move to the House almost immediately if it is going to be enacted before this Session of Congress adjourns.    Because we may not have time to contact our Representatives later, we need to contact them NOW.     

Congress may stay in Session longer than it presently plans to do   --   and/or Congress may well come back to Washington for a “lame duck” Session of Congress after the elections.     For now, however, Congress is scheduled to adjourn, for the year, on FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1.     This means we are only guaranteed a maximum of 3 weeks to make our case.  

So    …     I urge each and every one of you to contact your Senators and your Representative, by Fax or E-Mail, As Soon As Possible.    You can find Fax numbers and E-Mail Addresses on each legislator’s Web Site, which can be accessed respectively through www.senate.gov or www.house.gov 

In short:  

“Speak now, or hold your peace”    --     not necessarily forever, but at least until the new Session of Congress convenes in January of 2005.     By that time, Congress will have pushed a metaphorical “Reset” button and everything, including the McCain/Leahy/Cantwell bill, will have to be started up all over again, from Square One.      Wouldn’t you rather push Congress to get it done in September?  

“WHAT LIES BENEATH”  

Following the body of this article you will find 4 other items which may prove useful to you:  

(1)              A sample letter to a U.S. Senator;

(2)              A sample letter to a U.S. Representative;

(3)              A list of all U.S. Senators, beginning with U.S. Senators whose seats are up for election this year;

AND

(4)              A list of all Members of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications & The Internet,  which will have the initial jurisdiction over S. 2505 in the House of Representatives (if the bill passes the Senate), and the other Members of the full House Committee on Energy & Commerce.  

If you are represented by one of the legislators listed in Item No. 4, your Fax or E-Mail may have several times the impact of contact with a “rank and file” Member of the House of Representatives.       

In the Senate, however, where S. 2505 has already won Committee approval, all Senators will have equal weight in the coming vote on the Senate floor.  

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:     DON SCHELLHARDT is a writer and Government Relations attorney who has worked for a Congressional Representative, a Congressional Committee, the American [Natural] Gas Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).      Currently, he is President of THE AMHERST ALLIANCE (a Net-based citizens’ group for media reform) and Vice President of the NATIONAL ANTENNA CONSORTIUM (a non-profit association of those who own, lease and/or build communications antennas).      After the current Session of Congress adjourns, Don will leave both of these positions in order to pursue a Master of Arts in Asia Pacific Studies at the University of San Francisco .  

______________________________________________________________

 SAMPLE LETTER TO A U.S. SENATOR

 Dear Senator,  

As one of your constituents, I urge you to vote for passage of S. 2505, without any weakening amendments.     This bill would increase the number of small, community-focused Low Power FM radio stations, especially in urban and suburban areas, by repealing certain channel spacing restrictions imposed by a “lame duck” Session of Congress   --   without the benefit of Senate Committee Hearings   --   in December of 2000.      Studies by the FCC, and a more recent study by the independent MITRE Corporation, have shown that these restrictions are not necessary in order to prevent interference.  

S. 2505 is sponsored by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain, R-AZ, Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Minority Member Patrick Leahy, D-VT, and Senate Commerce Committee Member Maria Cantwell, D-WA.     S. 2505 has recently been approved by the Senate Commerce Committee and will, presumably, come to a vote on the Senate floor in September.    I hope to see your name listed among those who vote “Yes” on the bill and “No” on weakening amendments.  

Sincerely,  

(YOU)    

****  

SAMPLE LETTER TO A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE

Dear Representative,  

As one of your constituents, I am writing in support of S. 2505:   a bill which is now awaiting action by the full Senate.     When this bill reaches the House, I urge you to support its enactment, without any weakening amendments.  

This bill would increase the number of small, community-focused Low Power FM radio stations, especially in urban and suburban areas, by repealing certain channel spacing restrictions imposed by a “lame duck” Session of Congress    --     without the benefit of Senate Committee Hearings     --     in December of 2000.      Studies by the FCC, and a more recent study by the independent MITRE Corporation, have shown that these restrictions are not necessary in order to prevent interference.     

I hope to see your name listed among those who vote “Yes” on the bill and “No” on weakening amendments.  

Sincerely,  

(YOU)  

______________________________________________________________

 MEMBERS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE  

**   =   CLOSE race involving a KEY friend or foe of media reform.  

Seats Up For Election THIS YEAR  

ALABAMA :        Richard Shelby, R  

ALASKA :        Lisa Murkowski, R  

ARIZONA :       John McCain, R   (Primary Sponsor of S. 2505)  

ARKANSAS :      Blanche Lincoln, D  

CALIFORNIA :     Barbara Boxer, D  

COLORADO :     Ben Nighthorse Campbell, R   (Retiring)  

CONNECTICUT :       Christopher Dodd, D  

FLORIDA :       Bob Graham, D  

GEORGIA :      Zell Miller, D    (Retiring)  

HAWAII :     Daniel Inouye, D   (Retiring)  

IDAHO :      Michael Crapo, R  

ILLINOIS :      Peter Fitzgerald, R     (Retiring)  

INDIANA :      Evan Bayh, D  

IOWA :      Chuck Grassley, R  

KANSAS :      Sam Brownback, R  

KENTUCKY :      Jim Bunning, R  

LOUISIANA :     John Breaux, LA  

MARYLAND :     Barbara Mikulski, D  

MISSOURI :    Christopher “Kit” Bond  

NEVADA :       Harry Reid, D  

NEW YORK :      Charles Schumer, D  

**  NEW HAMPSHIRE:    Judd Gregg, R   (Bitter and determined foe of media reform and Senate Commerce Committee Member     …     Personally close to President Bush and might be vulnerable if Bush does not carry New Hampshire)  

NORTH CAROLINA :     John Edwards, D    (Nominee for U.S. Vice President)  

**   NORTH DAKOTA:    Byron Dorgan, D    (Active and consistent advocate of media reform, and Senate Commerce Committee Member   …   Sponsor of primary Senate legislation to restore the FCC’s media ownership ceilings     …     Locked in a TIGHT battle for re-election in a Republican-leaning State   …   To win, he probably needs support from some voters who choose President Bush and then cross over to him)  

OHIO :        George Voinovich, R  

OKLAHOMA :        Don Nickles, R  

**   OREGON:    Ron Wyden, D     (Not as strong a LEADER for media reform as Senator Dorgan, but still a dependable “Yes” vote for media reform, and a member of the pivotal Senate Commerce Committee    …     His race for re-election could be close, especially if President Bush carries Oregon)  

PENNSYLVANIA :      Arlen Specter, R  

UTAH :      Robert Bennett, R  

SOUTH CAROLINA :      Ernest “Fritz” Hollings, D   (Wonderful friend of media reform    …     Retiring)  

SOUTH DAKOTA :       Tom Daschle, D  

VERMONT :       Patrick Leahy, D     (Co-Sponsor of S. 2505)  

WASHINGTON :      Patty Murray, D  

WISCONSIN :     Russ Feingold, D  

Seats Up For Election In 2006

  ARIZONA :        Jon Kyl, R  

CALIFORNIA :       Dianne Feinstein, D  

CONNECTICUT :         Joseph Lieberman, D  

DELAWARE :       Thomas Carper, D  

FLORIDA :         Bill Nelson, D  

HAWAII :      Daniel Akaka, D  

INDIANA :        Richard Lugar, R  

MAINE :      Olympia Snowe, R  

MARYLAND :       Paul Sarbanes, D  

MASSACHUSETTS :      Edward M. Kennedy, D  

MICHIGAN :       Debbie Stabenow, D  

MINNESOTA :       Mark Dayton, D  

MISSISSIPPI :        Trent Lott, R  

MISSOURI :         James Talent, R  

MONTANA :           Conrad Burns, R    (Strong opponent of media reform)  

NEBRASKA :         Ben Nelson, D  

NEVADA :      John Ensign, R  

NEW JERSEY :       Jon Corzine, D  

NEW MEXICO :      Jeff Bingaman, D  

NORTH DAKOTA :       Kent Conrad, D  

OHIO :        Mike DeWine, R  

PENNSYLVANIA :        Rick Santorum, R  

RHODE ISLAND :       Lincoln Chafee, R  

TENNESSEE :        Bill Frist, R  

TEXAS :         Kay Bailey Hutchison, R  

UTAH :        Orrin Hatch, R  

VERMONT :       James Jefford, INDEPENDENT  

VIRGINIA :      George Allen, R    

WASHINGTON :      Maria Cantwell, D   (Co-Sponsor of S. 2505)  

WEST VIRGINIA :       Robert Byrd, D  

WISCONSIN:       Herb Kohl, D  

WYOMING :       Thomas Craig, R  

Seats Up For Election In 2008  

ALABAMA :       Jeff Sessions, R  

ALASKA :        Ted Stevens, R  

ARKANSAS :      Mark Pryor, D  

COLORADO :      Wayne Allard, R  

DELAWARE :      Joseph Biden, D  

GEORGIA :       Saxby Chambliss, R  

IDAHO :       Larry Craig, R  

ILLINOIS :       Richard Durbin, D  

IOWA :       Tom Harkin, D  

KANSAS :         Pat Roberts, R  

KENTUCKY :      Mitch McConnell, R  

LOUISIANA :      Mary Landrieu, D  

MAINE :       Susan Collins, R  

MASSACHUSETTS :         John Kerry, D   (Nominee for U.S. President)  

MICHIGAN :         Carl Levin, D  

MINNESOTA :         Norm Coleman, R  

MISSISSIPPI :         Thad Cochran, R  

MONTANA :       Max Baucus, D  

NEBRASKA :          Chuck Hagel, R  

NEW HAMPSHIRE :         John Sununu, R  

NEW JERSEY :          Frank Lautenberg, D  

NEW MEXICO :          Peter Domenici, R  

NORTH CAROLINA :       Elizabeth Dole, R  

OKLAHOMA :       James Inhofe, R  

OREGON :       Gordon Smith, R  

RHODE ISLAND :       Jack Reed, D  

SOUTH CAROLINA :        Graham Lindsey, R  

SOUTH DAKOTA :        Tim Johnson, D  

TENNESSEE :       Lamar Alexander, R  

TEXAS :       John Cornyn, R  

VIRGINIA :        John Warner, R  

WEST VIRGINIA :         John D. Rockefeller IV, D  

WYOMING :       Michael Enzi, R  

 HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS & THE INTERNET OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & COMMERCE  

Fred Upton, R-MI

Chairman                                                        

 Edward Markey, D-MA

Ranking Minority Member

 Michael Bilirakis, R-FL                                        

 Albert R. Wynn, D-MD

 Cliff Stearns, R-FL

Vice Chairman

 Karen McCarthy, D-MO                           

 Michael F. Doyle, D-PA  

Paul Gillmor, R-OH                                                                                  

John Davis, D-FL  

Christopher Cox, R-CA                                                                                 

Charles Gonzalez, D-TX  

Nathan Deal, R-GA                                                                                   

Rick Boucher, D-VA   

Ed Whitfield, R-KY                                                                                   

Edolphus Towns , D-NY  

Barbara Cubin, R-WY                                                                                    

Peter Deutsch, D-FL  

John Shimkus, R-IL                                                                                    

Bobby L. Rush, D-IL  

Heather Wilson, R-NM                                                                                    

Anna G. Eshoo, D-CA   

Charles “Chip” Pickering, R-MS                                                                                    

Bart Stupak, D-MI  

Vito Fossella, R-NY  

Elliot L. Engel, D-NY  

Steve Buyer, R-IN  

Charles F. Bass, R-NH  

Mary Bono, R-CA  

Greg Walden, R-OR  

Lee Terry, R-NB  

****  

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & COMMERCE  

Joe Barton, R-TX

Chairman,

Energy & Commerce

Committee                                                             

(Also:   Ex Officio Member,

Subcommittee on

Telecommunications

& The Internet)  

John Dingell, D-MI

Ranking Minority Member,

Energy & Commerce

Committee                                                    

(Also:   Ex Officio Member,

Subcommittee on Telecommunications

& The Internet)  

W.J. “Billy” Tauzin, R-LA

(Retiring From Congress Soon)  

Henry A. Waxman, D-CA  

Ralph M. Hall, R-TX    

Frank Pallone, D-NJ  

Sherrod Brown, D-OH  

James C. Greenwood, R-PA                                                                                    

Bart Gordon, D-TN  

Richard Burr, R-NC

(Running for the Senate this year)                  

Gene Green, D-TX  

John B. Shadegg, R-AZ                                        

 Ted Strickland, D-OH  

George Radanovich, R-CA                                       

 Diana DeGette, D-CO  

Joseph R. Pitts, R-PA                                                 

Lois Capps, D-CA  

Mike Ferguson, R-NJ                                               

 Christopher John, D-LA  

Mike Rogers, R-MI                                                      

Tom Allen, D-ME  

Darrell Issa, R-CA                                                      

Jan Schakowsky, D-IL  

C.L. “Butch” Otter, R-ID                                            

Hilda L. Solis, D-CA

John Sullivan, R-OK