cwa email - fcc reclassification - background and legislative actions

8/9/2019 CWA Email - FCC Reclassification - Background and Legislative Actions

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Subject: FCC reclassification - Background and legislative actions

Over the past month, we have been focused on the recent fall out from the Comcastcourtdecision which has thrown into question the FCC's legal authority and ability to promote

broadband deployment and adoption, as well as protecting an open internet. There were

several paths available to clear up this issue and move forward on the NationalBroadband Plan and other issues. As a result of the Court's ruling, the FCC has chosen topursue a path to re-classify the transmission portion of broadband Internet access under

Title II of the Telecom Act through a rulemaking procedure. We believe that thisapproach is the wrong one to take. The rulemaking procedure, when completed, will

only lead to further litigation and confusion over the FCC's jurisdiction. The litigationwould tie things up in the courts for at least two years all while the the broadband providerswill shift capital away from investment in broadband networks, with serious implication for jobs.Attached is a comprehensive background document prepared by Debbie Goldman whichoutlines the issue. Also attached is an article from CQ weekly which summarizes the

problems and issues.

CWA - along with the major telecom employers - has taken a strong position that suchregulatory uncertainty and years of litigation are not the route that should be followed at

this crucial time. Further delay in the implementation of the National Broadband Plan isunacceptable.

Our solution is for the Congress to pass a narrow and focused piece of legislation thatwould provide statutory authority clarifying the FCC's jurisdiction over broadband

access. We have been meeting with the vital Congressional Committee Chairs and staffto discuss our concerns and approach to a legislative fix.

We will be focused on this legislative fix over the coming months and will be calling on

you to help with these legislative efforts.

The first step that we need to take is to thank those Congressmembers that recentlysigned a group letter to the FCC expressing reservation with the rulemaking approach.

(List is below). Those Democrats that signed that letter have come under witheringattack from Free Press and other advocates of "Net Neutrality". We need to let them

know that we appreciate their stand on this issue. We have sent a thank you letter to eachof those Congressmembers that signed the letter. (I have attached our letter).

We are asking that if you consider sending a similar thank you letter from your District

VP to those Congressmembers that signed the letter. Also, if you have any locals in thoseCongressional districts, to please have them send a letter as well. We would also like you

to please consider placing letters to the editor in any local newspapers in thoseCongressional Districts. Sample letters are attached.

We are working on setting up a conference call with all LP Coordinators for next week to

walk through the issue and the legislative state of play.


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So, what we are encouraging for right now is:1) Send a thank you letter from District VPs to the Congressmembers in your District that

signed the letter to the FCC2) Send a thank you letter from Locals in the Congresmembers District

3) Get letters to the editor signed and placed thanking Congressmembers for signing the

letter

District 1

Adler, John H. (D) NJ-03Sires, Albio(D) NJ-13

Arcuri, Michael (D) NY-24Bishop, Timothy (D) NY-01

Clarke, Yvette (D) NY-11Crowley , Joseph (D) NY-07

Maffei, Daniel (D) NY-25

McMahon, Michael (D) NY-13

Meeks, Gregory (D) NY-06Murphy, Scott (D) NY-20

Owens, William L. (D) NY-23Towns, Edolphus (D) NY-10

District 2

Cummings, Elijah E. (D) MD-07Kratovil, Frank Jr. (D) MD-01

Ruppersberger, Dutch (D) MD-02

Nye, Glenn (D) VA-02

Rahall, Nick J. II (D) WV-03

District 3

Bright, Bobby (D) AL-02

Boyd, Allen (D) FL-02Brown, Corrine (D) FL-03

Hastings , Alcee (D) FL-23Kosmas, Suzanne (D) FL-24

Barrow, John (D) GA-12

Bishop, Sanford (D) GA-02

Scott, David (D) GA-13Melancon, Charlie (D) LA-03

Childers, Travis (D) MS-01Taylor, Gene (D) MS-04

Thompson, Bennie (D) MS-02Butterfield, G. K. (D) NC-01

Shuler, Heath (D) NC-11Davis , Lincoln (D) TN-04

Tanner, John (D) TN-08


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District 4

Halvorson, Deborah (D) IL-11

Rush, Bobby (D) IL-01Hill, Baron (D) IN-09

Peters, Gary (D) MI-09

Driehaus, Steve (D) OH-01Fudge, Marcia (D) OH-11Space, Zachary (D) OH-18

Wilson, Charles (D) OH-06

District 6

Ross, Mike (D) AR-04

Moore , Dennis (D) KS-03Carnahan, Russ (D) MO-03

Clay, Wm. Lacy (D) MO-01

Boren, Dan (D) OK-02

Cuellar, Henry (D) TX-28Gonzalez, Charles (D) TX-20

Green, Al (D) TX-09Hinojosa, Rubn (D) TX-15

Johnson, Eddie Bernice (D) TX-30Ortiz, Solomon (D) TX-27

Rodriguez, Ciro (D) TX-23

District 7

Giffords, Gabrielle (D) AZ-08

Kirkpatrick, Ann (D) AZ-01Pastor, Ed (D) AZ-04

Boswell, Leonard (D) IA-03Minnick, Walt (D) ID-01

Teague, Harry (D) NM-02Schrader, Kurt (D) OR-05

Larsen, Rick (D) WA-02

District 9

Baca, Joe (D) CA-43

Cardoza, Dennis (D) CA-18Costa, Jim (D) CA-20

Richardson, Laura (D) CA-37Sanchez, Loretta (D) CA-47

District 13

Altmire, Jason (D) PA-04Brady, Robert A. (D) PA-01

Carney, Christopher (D) PA-10Dahlkemper, Kathleen (D) PA-03


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Fattah, Chaka (D) PA-02Holden, Tim (D) PA-17

Schwartz, Allyson (D) PA-13

cwa email - fcc reclassification - background and legislative actions

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