SB QST @ ARL $ARLB007
ARLB007 Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 Introduced

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QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 7  ARLB007
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  March 1, 2005
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB007
ARLB007 Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 Introduced

At the urging of the ARRL, Rep Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) has
introduced The Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 into
the US House of Representatives. The bill, designated HR 691, has
been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee where
Bilirakis serves as vice chairman. Like previous versions of the
proposal, the current measure would require the FCC to provide
''equivalent replacement spectrum'' to Amateur Radio if the FCC
reallocates primary amateur frequencies, reduces any secondary
amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within such
bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs.

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, says the legislation ''is vital for
ensuring that the Amateur Radio Service, the only 100-percent fail
safe emergency communication capability, remains a viable public
safety option.''

HR 691 references Amateur Radio's role in providing ''voluntary,
noncommercial radio service, particularly emergency communications,''
and it points out that hams have ''consistently and reliably''
provided communication support in the event of emergencies and
disasters including tornadoes and hurricanes, chemical spills,
forest fires and rail accidents. As the measure notes, FCC actions
already have led to the loss of at least 107 MHz of spectrum to
radio amateurs.

Rep Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) has signed on as the bill's first
co-sponsor.

Efforts now will focus on attracting additional cosponsors for the
legislation. The League is encouraging members to urge their
congressional representatives to sign aboard HR 691. More than 100
lawmakers agreed to cosponsor similar legislation in the 108th
Congress, where it was designated HR 713. Work is proceeding to have
identical legislation introduced in the US Senate.

The text of HR 691 is available on the Government Printing Office
Web site 
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=109_cong_bills
&docid=f:h691ih.txt.pdf.
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