60 Members of Congress recently signed a letter, sent Friday November 6, 2009, to Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Julius Genachowski encouraging the adoption of FM radio tuners in mobile phone handsets. Signed by a bipartisan group of 60 House lawmakers, the letter notes that radio's emergency alert system is "a proven, reliable service," and urges the FCC and DHS to "consider extending American's access to radio EAS information via mobile phone handsets."
The letter's authors include Reps. Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), G.K. Butterfield (NC-01), Greg Walden (OR-02), Joseph Cao (LA-02), Laura Richardson (CA-37), Howard Coble (NC-06), Henry Brown (SC-01), Lynn Jenkins (KS-02), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Randy Neugebauer (TX-19), Mark Souder (IN-03), Linda Sanchez (CA-39), Ken Calvert (CA-44), Ted Poe (TX-02), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Dan Burton (IN-05), Lynn Westmoreland (GA-03), John Mica (FL-07), Steve Austria (OH-07), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Aaron Schock (IL-18), Jo Bonner (AL-01), Tom Cole (OK-04), Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02), Mike Turner (OH-03), Robert Aderholt (AL-04), Tom Price (GA-06), Brad Ellsworth (IN-08), Vern Buchanan (FL-13), Michael D. Rogers (AL-03), Phil Hare (IL-17), Alcee Hastings (FL-23), Todd Platts (PA-19), Peter Welch (VT), Parker Griffith (AL-05), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Charlie Dent (PA-15), Mike Conaway (TX-11), Artur Davis (AL-07), Geoff Davis (KY-04), Pat Tiberi (OH-12), Mike McCaul (TX-10), Eleanor Holmes-Norton (DC), Mike Arcuri (NY-24), Bobby Bright (AL-02), Spencer Bachus (AL-06), Phil Roe (TN-01), Bart Gordon (TN-06), Candice Miller (MI-10), Baron Hill (IN-09), Joe Wilson (SC-02), Paul Broun (GA-10), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), John Culberson (TX-07), Pete Olson (TX-22), Sam Graves (MO-06), Mike Quigley (IL-05), and Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-09).
The letter can be read in PDF format by clicking here.
In related news, NAB submitted an ex parte filing with the FCC on November 11. The letter summarizes meetings that took place on November 10 between several radio executives, NAB staff members and members of the FCC regarding the inclusion of radio receivers in cell phones. Enhanced public safety benefits created by placing radio tuners in cell phones were identified in the letter, which can be read in its entirety by clicking here.
