[Date]
The Honorable August Pfluger, R-Texas
U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable August Pfluger
330 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Re: SM049 – Amateur Radio
Emergency Preparedness Act
Dear Congressman, Pfluger
I
am one of your constituents and I am an FCC licensed Amateur Radio Operator.
I strongly
support — and I write to ask you to support and co-sponsor H.R. 4006 —
legislation that is vital to the survival of Amateur Radio. Amateur Radio faces an existential threat as
80% of all new housing developments carry private land use restrictions that
prohibit all Amateur Radio antennas, including many that are indistinguishable
from satellite and broadcast antennas that are permitted by federal law as a
matter of right.
SM049 The
Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act would provide Radio Amateurs the
freedom to operate their stations from their homes, a right effectively denied
by private land use restrictions. The bill would accomplish this by extending
the same federal protections to Amateur Radio operators as those currently
enjoyed by homeowners who install TV antennas, satellite TV dishes, wireless
internet antennas, and free-standing flagpoles.
Amateur
Radio operators have a 109+ year history of volunteer support to local
governments, state governments and Federal agencies when communications and
related expertise is needed at times of disasters and other emergencies. Amateur
Radio also has, and continues to, serve as a gateway for the youth of America to
enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. It has been the
foundation for the careers of a significant number of the leaders in American
communications and technology. As an example, the first private satellite
launched into space, Oscar 1, was designed and launched by Amateur Radio
operators. Today almost every astronaut on the International Space Station
(ISS) is licensed as an Amateur Radio operator. When in space they use some of
their free time to talk with students across the world to interest them in
space, technology, and related fields.
I request
your support for, and co-sponsorship of, SM049 -The Amateur Radio Emergency
Preparedness Act to eliminate the threat to Amateur Radio. I would be honored
to meet with you, or your staff, within the District to discuss my concerns or
to have Amateur Radio’s representatives meet with you in Washington.
Sincerely,
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