roundtable: Alliance Public Policy Update

roundtable: Alliance Public Policy Update

Alliance Public Policy Update

AllianceCM@aol.com
Wed, 18 Jan 1995 10:50:30 -0500 

Date: Wed, 18 Jan 1995 10:50:30 -0500
From: AllianceCM@aol.com
Message-Id: <950118105028_5120017@aol.com>
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject: Alliance Public Policy Update


Here's the executive summary of the bi-weekly fax sent to all members 
of the Alliance for Community Media Public Policy Network and Public 
Policy Council...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: 

1) From our Hill visits at the end of December, we discovered that the
Republicans on the Senate Commerce committee were already meeting and 
that Pressler planned to release a "policy memorandum" on January 10th.  
I faxed and called our PEG access centers in Oregon to contact Senator 
Packwood, the new Telecommunications Chair, about the importance of 
access  -- and many responded (thank you!)

2) The Alliance briefed the Telecommunications Policy Roundtable on our
findings on January 3rd.

3) From our Hill visits on January 4th, the first day of Congress, we 
learned that the Democrats were having a meeting on the following Monday 
to discuss their own strategy.  They requested actual legislative 
language from us -- which we delivered on that Friday. (Public Policy 
Network and Council members have received detailed notes from our 
visits.)

4) The Alliance attended the Senate Commerce Hearing on January 9th. No 
mention was made of PEG access, but there were some important points 
made. I also attended the Commerce Department's summit on the same day 
at which Vice President Gore spoke. I've not been as organized as to 
prepare notes for you at this time...(Public Policy Network and Council 
members have received notes from the Commerce Hearing.)

5) Senator Pressler released the Senate Commerce Committee's "legislative 
memorandum on January 11th. This memo lists five legislative goals and 
ten legislative principles. (Public Policy Network members have received 
Jeff Hops' analysis of this memo. Public Policy Council members will 
receive the complete document.)

6) The Alliance has received a copy of HR 411 which was released on 
January 11th. This is identical to the version of HR 3626 that passed 
the House last year. That bill included provisions of HR 3636 and 
provisions of draft section 659.  It's unlikely that this bill will be 
the vehicle for reform in the House, since it was filed by Rep. Dingell, 
who is no longer Chair of the House Commerce Committee. 

7) On January 12th, the FCC adopted a fourth Notice of Rulemaking on 
VDT. (Public Policy Network and Council members have received Jeff Hops' 
comments on this document. Council members may receive a copy, on 
request.)

8) We are continuing to plan a press (or "media") briefing with our 
coalition partners... Now, we've moved it to January 31st in order to 
accommodate a guest speaker who should generate a great deal of media 
interest. Stay tuned...

9) On January 10th we met with OMB Watch and other coalition members 
to advance our positions on electronic redlining and to craft our 
recommendations to the Commerce Department concerning the distribution 
of the Ameritech settlement of $2 million to telecomputing demonstration 
projects.

Public Policy Network and Council members have received an updated list 
of appropriate Congressional committee members, their telecommunications 
legislative assistants ("L.A."), and phone numbers.

Membership in the Alliance Public Policy Network is $500. Members receive
bi-weekly faxed updates. Membership in the Alliance Public Policy Council 
is $2,500. Members receive the updates as well as monthly packets of 
detailed public policy information.

---------------------------------------------------------
Alliance for Community Media
666 11th Street, NW, Suite 806
Washington, DC  20001-4542
Voice: (202) 393-2650
Fax: (202) 393-2653
E-mail: AllianceCM @ aol.com

"Ensuring everyone's access to electronic 
 media since 1976."

Barry Forbes, Executive Director

"Do what's right. Do it right. Do it right now."
---------------------------------------------------------

[CNI Home Page]