Has anyone else heard back from their senator’s office?

[miguelaqui]

I was sent this... What does this have to do with distant nets?


Thank you for contacting me regarding the increasing cost of cable television and the need for more consumer choices. I appreciate your concerns and value the opportunity to respond.

As a supporter of cable choice and TV Freedom, I believe that encouraging competition will be better for consumers and better for companies. Competition will provide consumers with more choices, better quality services and lower prices.

Recently, in the Senate, I have supported measures in the telecom reform legislation that would make it easier for telephone companies to provide video service. This reform is especially needed for those individuals living in rural areas where competition is lacking and the potential for better service exists. Allowing these and other companies to expand into this area will help encourage competition and ultimately provide numerous benefits to consumers. Please be assured that I will keep your thoughtful comments in mind and continue to work for fairness and competition in the cable market place.

Please feel free to contact me again about issues important to you. If you would like to receive an e-mail newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website (<http://allen.senate.gov>). It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.

With warm regards, I remain


Sincerely,


Senator George Allen

 

[GeorgeLV]

Pathetic. I doubt his interns even read the first paragraph of your letter.

 

[Slamminc11]

I heard back from both Salazar and Allard, and both emails were on topic and mentioned the court decision.

 

[dfergie]

Thank you very much for contacting me with regard to media diversity. I am glad you took the time to share your thoughts with me on this important issue.

The thoughtful input of New Mexicans has always been and continues to be of the utmost importance to me as your U.S. Senator. I have always believed that it is essential to know what is on the minds of the people it is my honor to represent in Washington, and I assure you that I will keep your concerns in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me. I hope you will continue to keep me apprised of the issues most important to you.

Sincerely,
Pete V. Domenici
United States Senator

PVD:LC


Very Helpful

 

[hobojoe]

yea right! bla blaa blaaa. in one ear out the other. i really have lost any thought that our gov system is being run by the people and for the people. in the end they will decide what and when and where we can watch TV. by who lined there pockets the best. I'm also feeling hurt that charlie has given up and possibly throwing in the towel by selling. i thought he was a man that remembers how he got started in that small store not so many years ago. what will be next our rsn also then super stations? where will it end? and when will the people stand up again to say we want Independence and freedom Justice and liberty for all

 

[DishSubLA]

Not exactly. Our members of Congress do keep a tally. They go more by the number of emails, phone calls, etc. as wet finger in the wind.

 

[riffjim4069]

miguelaqui,

Regarding telecommunications, our Senators are currently being bombarded with the Video Franchise Reform legislation issue. Telcos like Verizon and AT&T are hoping to secure a national cable TV franchise, but folks like google want unneeded net neutrality legislation included. The House stripped net neutrality verbiage and approved the bill in May. Net neutrality has also been removed from the approved legislation out of Senate Subcommittee...however, it hasn't been voted on in the full Senate because Sen. Stevens (R - AK) doesn't feel he has the 60 votes needed to get it passed. The bill will not be voted on until Sen. Stevens is sure he has the necessary votes. The While House has already backed both the House and Senate versions. Net neutrality is a smokescreen that is impeding badly needed video franchise reform.

Anyway, I correspond regularly with my legislators (Senator Allen included)...and you would be surprised to read some of the replies I've received. I'm often left thinking, "What's that got to do with the price of tea in China?" Anyway, I've learned that if one letter rates a form letter, then 100 faxes and 100 e-mails will at least ensure my voice has been heard.

I have drafted a fax (attached) for Sen. Allen regarding DNS. Please feel free to modify it and fax it along. Other than appending your name and address, and perhaps changing the paragraph about military service, the text should be largely in tact.:up

Additionally, if you fax the 2nd letter I've drafted, then Sen. Allen's reply will make perfect sense.

 

[hobojoe]

i guess it's only a san diego thing to take bribes. they wont lesten unless they hear the jingle of money in your pocket.

 

[waltinvt]

Nothing back from Leahy, Jeffords or Sanders.

 

[korsjs]

nothing back here.

 

[goaliebob99]

I have

Dear Robert:

Thank you for contacting me regarding telecommunications reform. These concerns are of central importance as Congress begins the process of debating the first major telecommunications reform in a decade.

In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act. This was the first major rewrite to the 1934 Communications Act. This congressional policy was intended to open up telecommunications markets to competition. At the time of the 1996 Act, the telecommunications industry was dominated by service providers that generally did not compete with one another: circuit-switched networks provided telephone service, and coaxial cable networks provided cable service. The Act created separate regulatory structures for each set of providers.

Our country faces a much different telecommunications industry now and telecommunications services are more vital to our everyday lives than ever before. Digital technologies have led to a convergence in markets as telephone, cable, and even wireless network companies are increasingly able to offer voice, data, and video services over a single broadband platform.

Almost all parties agree that the current statutory and regulatory framework is inappropriate for current market environment. But there is considerable debate over how to modify this framework. I will be guided by my commitment to promote innovation and the equitable development and deployment of our nation’s communication infrastructure.

We must foster investment, innovation and competition while meeting the critical public policy objectives of universal service, homeland security, and public safety. Beyond being a purely technological issue, the expansion of broadband technology could be one of the most important social economic, and political equity issues of our time. If all Americans do not have access to digital technologies, our country will be unable to compete in this emerging Digital Age and our people will miss an opportunity to connect in a way that could greatly enhance democratic debate.

One of the central debates in telecommunications reform is over ‘network neutrality’ in physical networks, such as telephone and cable networks. Independent application and service providers, such as voice and video companies, are pressing for preservation of the Internet as a service that does not discriminate against any given website creator or provider of a service such as music, e-mail, or voice over IP. These companies claim that without network neutrality they will not be able to innovate and meet the needs of consumers. On the other hand, physical network providers argue that they have sunk huge up-front costs into the underlying structure of broadband networks – telephone lines, cable lines and the like. They say that to mandate network neutrality would discourage them from building out more networks in the future, and would be an inequitable distribution of income away from their businesses.

I look forward to playing a role in the telecommunications reform debate as it proceeds in this 109th Congress and the next. I am not on the Senate Commerce Committee that will make most of the decisions on these topics, but I have begun a dialogue with the Commerce Committee Chairman and Ranking Member on these issues, and will continue my engagement with them in the future. While it is too early in the dialogue to make final decisions about each of the issues involved, I can tell you that my overwhelming concern is to extend critical digital technology to as many people as possible, in as efficient and equitable a manner as possible. I am disinclined to support proposals that would discourage innovation and competition, and I am strongly inclined to back provisions that help working-class Americans have better, cheaper access to technology.

Again, Robert, thank you for contacting me. I am glad you shared your concerns with me, and I will certainly remember them as this important debate continues.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator


P.S. Our system does not allow direct response to this email. However, if you would like to contact me again, please use the form on the website: http://obama.senate.gov/contact/

Stay up to date with Barack's work in the Senate and on issues of importance to Illinois. Subscribe to the weekly podcast here: http://obama.senate.gov/podcast/

 

[NEOSG]

Nothing here out of NY

 

[gokamoto]

Nothing out of California

 

[fredtx]

Received this from my congreesional rep in West Texas:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding the transition to digital television. I appreciate your concern for this important issue.

Digital television is considered the most significant development in television technology since the color television. The features such as better picture resolution and the ability to provide more information using less of the frequency spectrum are remarkable. The transition from analog to digital television has technological, financial and safety benefits that make the transition a worthy endeavor. Although I am committed to the transition, it needs to remain focused on the American consumer and consumers should be the main beneficiary of the transition.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 4241: the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. In this bill, Congress made some important changes to the 1996 Telecommunication bill to aide in the transition to digital television. The first important change to the bill was to extend the transition date and to set a firm date for when broadcasters can turn off their analog signal. The firm date set for the transition is February 17, 2009.

With the firm date set for the switch, many consumers would have to subscribe to a satellite or cable service, purchase a digital-ready television, or buy a set-top converter box. Congress has set aside money that would allow consumers to obtain coupons that can be applied toward the purchase of digital-to-analog converter boxes to ease the transition for those without digital televisions or cable boxes.

Once the transition is complete, the analog bandwith will be available for use by first-responders. First responders have been asking for the extra bandwith for emergency transmissions since before 9/11 and this transition will help keep all our communities safer.

The House and Senate are currently negotiating other provisions within the bill before the President can sign it into law.

Again, thank you for contacting me. Your opinion is important, so please write, email or call me with any concerns you may have in the future. For more information on my work in Congress or to send me an electronic message, visit the 11th District's Web site at http://conaway.house.gov .


Mike

 

[MikeD-C05]

Has absolutely nothing to do with what you wrote them about. Where does it mention about distant networks? Typical congressional double talk.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I have heard nothing back from any of mine, which is surprising since Joe Leiberman needs all the support he can get at the moment.

 

[BobMurdoch]

Nothing back from Chris Smith, my house rep in NJ except a promise to get back to me in an email form letter. That was two months ago.

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

Heres mine from good old Sac Town Cali.

Dear (my name):



Thank you for contacting my office to express your views. I believe that all citizens should become involved in the legislative process by letting their voices be heard, and I appreciate the time and effort that you took to share your thoughts with me. One of the most important aspects of my job is keeping informed about the views of my constituents, and I welcome your comments so that I may continue to represent California to the best of my ability. Should I have the opportunity to consider legislation on this or similar issues, I will keep your views in mind.



For additional information about my activities in the U.S. Senate, please visit my website, http://boxer.senate.gov. From this site, you can access statements and press releases that I have issued about current events and pending legislation, request copies of legislation and government reports, and receive detailed information about the many services that I am privileged to provide for my constituents. You may also wish to visit http://thomas.loc.gov to track current and past legislation.



Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I appreciate hearing from you.

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Please visit my website at http://boxer.senate.gov

 

[damaged]

The thoughtful input of New Mexicans has always been and continues to be of the utmost importance to me as your U.S. Senator.

HEY, what about the old Mexicans!

 

[Mr Tony]

Got one back from congressman Oberstar. While he doesn't touch directly on Distants, it actually has some info on satellite

Dear Mr. Berg

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me regarding your satellite television service.

Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed legislation related to regulatory treatment of various telecommunications services. The goal of the legislation is to foster innovation and competition between service providers, while protecting consumers from higher prices for telecommunications services. The 109th Congress is also considering requiring cable and satellite companies to offer their subscribers the option of la carte programming – letting subscribers select and pay for only the channels they watch.

I believe that satellite consumers should have more choices at an affordable price. It is imperative that Congress balance these competing interests to ensure that consumers are not hurt by increased prices, decreased choice and reduced diversity in programming. In the meantime, because companies are often responsive to the needs of their customers, I encourage you to share your views with your satellite provider.

If you would like to receive periodic e-mail updates on issues before Congress, please visit my Web site, www.house.gov/oberstar, and go to "subscribe."

With best wishes.

Sincerely,

James L. Oberstar, M.C.

A fair amount of Mr Oberstar's distaric does qualify for distants legally (at least until the hammer was put down with the "have locals available? Can't get distants anymore")