LMC Action Alert: Oppose federal COPE bill
12/02/2006
Posted by: Marjorie Hoty
December 3, 2006
Please spread around.
This is a huge issue that towns are fighting against telecom companies to
provide high-speed internet for their resident. I can't remember exactly
where I learned about the net divide, net neutrality, and of communities
taking matters into the own hands although NOW with David Brancaccio comes
to mind.
Margie a. Hoyt
Watonwan Co. A/C
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Strub, Brian
Date: Dec 1, 2006 2:59 PM
Subject: [legislative] LMC Action Alert: Oppose federal COPE bill
To: General legislative
The League of MN Cities (LMC) and MN Association of Community
Telecommunications Administrators (MACTA) are jointly urging cities to take
action as the final portion of the 2006 Congressional ("lame- duck") session
is going to get underway next week on December 5.
Please contact Ann Higgins at the League of Minnesota Cities with any
questions. Ann can be contacted at either or 651-281-1257.
Thank you for your ongoing support of important municipal advocacy efforts.
LMC Action Alert: December 1, 2006 COPE, the Communications Opportunity,
Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006 still before lame-duck Congress
*IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED!*
1. Contact Senators Mark Dayton and Norm Coleman!
2. Oppose this legislation.
*Get Informed*
The lame duck session of the 2006 U.S. Congress meets December 5th, and one
final effort to stop HR 5252 is needed.
HR 5252, a.k.a. COPE, or the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and
Enhancement Act of 2006, would among other things strip local governments of
their authority to franchise the use of their rights-of-way for video/cable
services and gives that authority to the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) in Washington, D.C. The FCC has never had the authority to regulate
local public rights-of-way and has no expertise concerning local streets,
sidewalks, public safety or traffic patterns. It could also give the FCC the
authority to oversee and second-guess all local rights-of-way management
practices. More bill details online at http://thomas.loc.gov/
*Take Action*
Please contact our two U.S. Senators regarding HR 5252, asking them NOT to
support HR 5252, NOT to allow it to be introduced with no public debate, and
NOT to allow it to be attached to some other appropriations bill in the
final hours of the Session.
*U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton 612-727-5220*
*U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman 651-645-0323*
*E-mail both Senators at ** http://www.senate.gov*
*Message to Senator Dayton-- *Senator Dayton has already stated his
opposition to the bill, so the message to him is one of appreciation. Thank
you!
*Message to Senator Coleman--* Senator Coleman sent out form letters to
constituents who contacted him about HR 5252, mentioning some of the
benefits of the Senate version of HR 5252. Cities need to remind Senator
Coleman that while the Senate version of the bill may be far preferable to
the House version, it is very likely to get broken up into pieces
in conference committee, and those items of highest priority to Minnesotans
will be lost in the "compromise." We cannot live with language in the
House version that will likely survive in conference committee.
Senator Coleman's letter to constituents also states that he believes the
bill should get full debate before it is voted. Cities need to remind
Senator Coleman that if HR 5252 goes to the Senate floor in December, it
will not get full debate. Another point worth making is that during the
busy lame duck session in December, a bill as controversial and complicated
as HR 5252 should not be rushed through the process without full
understanding of its future ramifications.
*Message to Senator-elect Klobuchar*-- We also suggest that you copy your
letters to Senators Dayton and Coleman to our newly elected *Senator-elect
Amy Klobuchar*, as a way of introducing our interests and concerns to her
and providing her with background information on our issues.
* *
*Stay Involved*
The League will continue to monitor this legislation and update members in
the League's publications. Questions and comments can be directed to:
Ann Higgins, League of Minnesota Cities, 651-281-1257,
Jodie Miller, MACTA Legislative Committee Co-chair, 651-450-9891 ext. 308
Jeff Lueders, MACTA Board Chair and Legislative Co-chair, 952-985-4416
Thank you for Telling Your City-Story!