A Good Couple of Weeks for the CAP Act – But More Help Needed
The CAP Act (H.R. 3745)
was introduced by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) last October to help protect PEG
channels. The passage of the CAP Act has been one of NATOA’s top
priorities over the last few months. In the past month, the CAP Act has
gained a lot of momentum. Since the beginning of February, the CAP Act
has received six new co-sponsors bringing the total to 19.
The most recent additions
to the co-sponsor list are: Rep. Jose Serranno (D-NY) (the Chairman of
the Subcommittee in charge of FCC appropriations), Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN),
Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME), Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Rep. Edward Markey
(D-MA), and Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
Despite this progress, the
most critical step before the CAP Act will get a hearing at the Subcommittee
level is finding a Republican co-sponsor (as of yet the CAP Act does not have
any). We have been told by Subcommittee staff that a Republican co-sponsor
is a prerequisite to a hearing.
If your district is
represented by a Republican, especially a moderate Republican or one who is
retiring before the election, please contact him or her about the CAP
Act. (If your district is represented by a Democrat, more Democratic
co-sponsors can only help, so contact them as well.)
A one page summary of the benefits of the CAP Act can be found here.