You have at least four ways to help influence Rep. Lamborn on this important legislation.
First, go to http://www.change.org/petitions/u-s-house-of-representatives-co-sponsor-hr-4969-the-amateur-radio-parity-act-of-2014 and sign that petition.
Second, send Rep. Lamborn an email. You can use the suggested letter provided below, either as is or customize it to your liking.Use Rep. Lamborn’s Congressional email form at https://lambornforms.house.gov/contact-form, fill in the required fields and paste the letter in the Message Text field. If asked for the issue you’re writing about, select Telecommunications, Science and Technology, or a related category. In the Subject box, enter Please Cosponsor H.R. 4969.
Third, print that letter and send it by post in an envelope to Rep. Lamborn’s local office.
DISTRICT OFFICE
1125 Kelly Johnson Blvd. Suite 330
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Phone: (719) 520-0055
Fax: (719) 520-0840
Fourth, phone him. Call Rep. Lamborn’s local office, number above, and call his DC office at (202) 225-4422.
<<< SUGGESTED LETTER >>>
Dear Congressman Lamborn,
As your constituent, I am asking that you support H.R. 4969 by signing on to it as a co-sponsor. Please contact Rep. Kinzinger’s office to do so.
I am a federally licensed Amateur Radio operator, one of over 3,060 who reside in your District. Our ability to serve our communities is hindered by unreasonably restrictive prohibitions that disallow the placement of even the simplest antenna on our property.
Presently, PRB-1 only applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances. It has worked well there because it provides clear and reasonable standards. Since PRB-1 was enacted, the FCC has said several times that it would prefer to have some guidance from Congress before extending the policy to private land-use regulations. HR.4969 will provide that guidance.
Amateur radio operators provide valuable services to their neighbors, services such as:
* We provide wireless communications support for community events.
* We provide public service, search-and-rescue, severe weather, and disaster communications for local governmental agencies and non-governmental agencies (NGO), such as the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
* We provide communications support to the United States military through its Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS).
* We provide communications support for our neighbors when mainstream communications degrade or become inoperable.
* We contribute towards the advancement of wireless communications as developers and experimenters of new, novel, and efficient means of communicating and transferring information.
Recently a bi-partisan Bill, H.R. 4969, the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014”, was introduced by Rep Kinzinger (R-IL) and Rep Courtney (D-CT) to suppress unreasonable restrictions and allow licensed amateurs to install reasonable equipment for practicing our hobby and having the means to serve our communities.
Radio amateurs, while providing valuable and necessary services to their communities, are frequently and increasingly precluded from installing necessary equipment (antennas, coax, etc) by unreasonable private land-use restrictions, including restrictive CC&R covenants. The net effect of HR.4969 passage will be to require such restrictions to be as reasonable as PRB-1 is presently with regard to state and local zoning laws and ordinances.
Should you have any questions about Amateur Radio or the importance of this legislation, please contact me. Thank you.
Sincerely,