That's right! A U.S. Senator from
FLORIDA, of all places!
Florida! The Hurricane State!
Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
SINGLEHANDEDLY blocked a disaster relief bill!
In December 2016, using his power as the ranking minority member of the
Senate committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Sen. Nelson placed a hold on the Amateur Radio Parity Act — S. 1685.
This kept the bill in committee until the 114th Congress adjourned later that month.
The companion bill — H.R. 1301 —
had already been passed by the House — by unanimous consent!
He did this AFTER the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
and the Community Associations Institute (CAI)
(the national association of homeowners associations (HOAs) )
reached an agreement on the exact language of the bill.
The bill that Sen. Nelson blocked was endorsed by BOTH organizations! The bill would guarantee all radio amateurs
living in deed-restricted communities governed by a homeowner's association (HOA)
or subject to any private land use regulations,
the right to erect and maintain effective outdoor antennas at their homes.
The bill is a disaster relief bill because amateur radio is often
the ONLY means of communication left after major disasters, like hurricanes.
Even the government's disaster relief agencies
sometimes have to depend on amateur radio operators.
Many of them keep backup power generators on hand just for such situations.
Sen. Nelson is up for re-election this November, 2018.
Since he refused to allow this essential, life-saving measure to pass,
then it is long past time for his political life to end!
Rick Scott, the current Governor of Florida,
is challenging Sen. Nelson to represent Florida in the U.S. Senate.
Let's make sure Sen. Nelson's political career is terminated!
More info on the subject can be found at:
http://www.arrl.org/amateur-radio-parity-act https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-florida-senators-to-supports-1534-amateur-radio http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2016-12-15#toc01 UPDATE:
Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) introduced the same bill again on January 13, 2017, as H.R. 555.
The House again passed the bill by voice vote on January 23, 2017.
On July 12, 2017, Sens. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
introduced the bill in the Senate as S. 1534.
Again, Sen. Nelson (D-FL) held the bill up in committee.
This time, Congress found a way around him.
In May, 2018, Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT), Vicky Hartzler (R-MO), and Mike Rogers (R-AL)
inserted the language of H.R. 555 into the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (H.R. 5515).
The text can be seen at:
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/hr5515/text/eh#link=A_X_G_1083_a&nearest=H1CE1014EF7254566A59001A5492BC964 Here are the key dates of the NDAA, as seen at:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/all-actions (Or the short version)
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/actions1. Introduced -- May 21, 2018
2. Passed House -- May 24, 2018 Passed by recorded vote: 351 - 66 (Roll no. 230)
3. Passed Senate -- June 18, 2018 Passed Senate (with an amendment) by Yea-Nay Vote. 85 - 10. Record Vote Number: 128.
4. Differences Resolved -- August 1, 2018
5. Presented to President -- August 3, 2018
6. Became Public Law No: 115-232 -- August 13, 2018.
If you really want to see every step of the process, you can see:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/5515/all-actions?overview=closed#tabs Even though the bill finally passed,
we should never forget the Senator who
resorted to every possible means to block this life-saving measure.
For this, and a thousand other reasons,
the job-killing, freedom-destroying, terrorist-funding,
(yes, Bill Nelson supported Obama letting Iran have that $150 billion)
radical left wing Bill Nelson NEEDS to be made into
FORMER Senator Bill Nelson!
