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Open Letter to Congress
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18 December 2007 Subject: FCC Votes for Big Media: Throw the Rules Out
Send this message to:
¤ Your Senators
¤ Your Representative
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Dear Members of Congress,
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We write to you today to ask you to act swiftly to overturn the FCC's Dec. 18 vote to relax media ownership rules.
We have spoken out against media consolidation in every way we know how: attending hearings, writing letters, submitting comments. However, on Dec. 18, the FCC ignored this widespread public opposition -- just like it did in 2003. The FCC has turned its back on its mission and its mandate. Their decision to let Big Media get even bigger will erode localism, diminish minority ownership, and decrease competition.
Please take action now to introduce a Resolution of Disapproval and overturn the FCC's reckless action.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]
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Dear Honorable Govonor Culver,
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This SF-554 bill is the most important bill regarding cable TV and Qwest, Verizon and AT&T since the Communications Act of 1996. SF-554 has passed the Senate and House and I am glad to hear you have not signed it.
SF554, has been called the "bdbb" or "billion dollar baby bell" bill allows new telcom video service providers, [Qwest] to come in to Iowa and provide competitive cable TV services at great cost.
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SF554 proposes to End Public Access in Iowa to let Qwest and other phone companies to completely bypass local control of [~300 existing] contracts in Iowa.
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Telcoms can make application of existing requirements in local franchises: like Cable does.
Please do not give telcoms the key to obtain a statewide franchise certificate, a one page document, that enables them to take the whole state and not give a negotiation franchise agreement to any community: and collapses the public access system.
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As a result of this bill, these are the items that would be lost by Iowa cities:
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1. No community input would be allowed into what should be in their franchise. Previously all cable TV franchises had to include community needs and interests, thereby allowing each community to determine what is important to them.
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2. No consumer protection. The bill proposes an "informal and non- binding" complaint resolution process, unlike the current consumer protection requirements in Iowa City's franchise. Iowa City negotiated a franchise with Mediacom that has teeth and the ability to enforce, through penalties or fines, resolutions to consumer complaints.
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3. No mandatory buildouts. The new video service provider (Qwest) does not have to build their services to everyone in a community. Cable companies were all required to build cable service to everyone in a community. Qwest proposes they should be able to wire who they want to wire and when they want to wire to them. There are currently strict requirements regarding by when a cable company has to build to everyone, so everyone can have access to the "competition" this bill purports to promote. Qwest could wire to the richest part of any town and not wire to the poorer part of town.
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4. No rate regulation. Currently cities who desire to regulate the basic service tier of rates can do so. Iowa City has always regulated the basic tier of cable service and as a consequence has the lowest rates for this service in the state of Iowa.
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5. This bill as proposed allows any cable company to opt out of their franchise, declaring it null and void, once Qwest applies for and obtains a statewide franchise and states they intend to serve that city and notify that city by letter. The incumbent cable operator can then apply for a statewide franchise certificate and by doing so declare their existing franchise in that or those cities null and void.
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6. SF554 will cut off all funding for PEG (Public, Educational and Governmental) channels in ten years. There are no stipulations or requirements for funding beyond that time.
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7. SF554 also requires PEG channels to pay for any conversion fees to make their signals compatible with Qwest's system. This could cost PEG channels as much as $25,000, $13,000 of which would be an annual cost. Few PEG channels would be able to afford such a cost and could not continue operating.
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8. No studies have shown that head to head competition between cable companies and phone companies actually lower rates. In fact, a study done by The Buske Group out of Sacramento, CA. has shown that there are no distinguishable differences in rates between those areas served by both phone and cable companies. AT&T's CEO has stated publicly that there will be no price wars.
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9. The phone industry pushed to pass a similar bill in Congress last year, called the COPE bill. It was defeated. As a consequence the phone industry decided to attack each state individually with bills like SF554. They have already been successful in a dozen states and are currently present in another twenty states pushing for the same kind of legislation. It is time to create a better model for the states to follow. SF-554 is not the answer. Lets go back to the drawing board.
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bill SF-554 is a Qwest of the the Billion $ Baby-Bells- is corporate welfare: Iowans can't afford.
Dear Honorable Governor Culver,
Thank for your fine leadership. There is a lot of money involved in the public bandwidth. Correct-thinking would include leading a great reminder to the people of Iowa that the bandwidth belongs to them.
If you must choose between a Corporate Media so void of journalism it's become a Tabloid Press and the honest Non-Commercial Citizen Media from your Public Educational and Government Access System: Take this oppertunity to CREATE A Network: help the under-funded, under-rated, uneasy underdogs of democracy who have fought the good fight to kill the COPE bill- a rest. You alone can't Stop this NeoCommunications Coup from happening all around you: but you can see through it and protect Iowa's interest by recognising rural, and commercial importance of a healthy local information service: Please, Do not sell your citizenry short here, sir. Let Benjamin Franklin's ethic of a Peoples Press ring loud and early in your Administration and pledge to keep connected all Iowans that they may exercise their right to access Bandwidth.
A further council is to be fair: Expect ALL BANDWIDTH PROVIDERS, [Telcoms, Cable and Satt/Dishes] to Equatable contribution between providers be it FRANCHISE FEES and/or BANDWIDTH Support to enhance the PEG System and allow support for an emerging Citizen Media. Iowa to set a correction course by creating this grass-root effort to be a among the uniters. Become the first state-supported c-span and lead a Bandwidth issue to clarity in 33 states.
SF554 ends access TV ten years?
SF554 allows Qwest to come in to Iowa and offer their services - including cable TV - completely deregulated?
Qwest will be allowed to Cherry-pick IOWANS? Please consider the 5 implications of net-neutrality in weighing the acceptability of red-lining.
Make your mark here as this is a character issue from the git/GO BASIC.
No rate regulation in SF554?
Please Support your (INETs), sir.
Additional costs to local access cable TV channels for Qwest Bandwidth- $20,000?
Contracts issued by the State to take away local control on a Qwest PROMIS to compete? This is bad business, sir. They don't have to show any competition – They need YOU to play for them and I write to employ you to resist their temptation. This is a corporate media plan to squeeze information and emerging Citizen Media to death in our state. Have it go the way of the electric car.
Poof - cable companies no longer have to abide by any contracts or franchises. Everything any community negotiated for is gone - null and void. Have you checked out the going start-up rates on democracy lately? Make this a mandate that while the reigns of Iowa are in your hands you will drive an equitable bargain for us. Be careful as SF 554 sells the people who champion your victory off far too lightly. Your the landlord: everybody rents the same and please Veto SF554 if you happen to see.
Thank You for your attention and consideration,
Affiliate with the IowAlliance for Community Media
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Dear Honorable Senator;
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This bill is the most important bill regarding cable TV and Qwest,
Verizon and AT&T since the 1996 Communications Act passed by
Congress. This bill has passed the Senate and House with amendments and is scheduled to go to come back to the Senate this week. Sorry not to have written before to mention a few thoughts on this fastrack franchising quest of Qwests.
This bill, SF554, has been called the "competition" bill
[NeoCom-554][ringing of the billion dollar baby-bells] allowing new
video service providers, like Qwest, who has pushed for this
legislation, to come in to Iowa and provide competitive cable TV
services. SF554 proposes to let Qwest and other phone companies to
come in to Iowa without any application of existing requirements in
local franchises, and in fact gives them the opportunity to obtain a
statewide franchise certificate, a one page document, that enables
them to serve the whole state and not have to negotiate a franchise
agreement with any community.
As a result of this bill, if passed as proposed, these are the items
that would be lost by Iowa cities:
1. No community input would be allowed into what should be in their
franchise. Previously all cable TV franchises had to include
community needs and interests, thereby allowing each community to
determine what is important to them.
2. No consumer protection. The bill proposes an "informal and non-
binding" complaint resolution process, unlike the current consumer
protection requirements in Iowa City's franchise. Iowa City
negotiated a franchise with Mediacom that has teeth and the ability
to enforce, through penalties or fines, resolutions to consumer
complaints.
3. No mandatory buildouts. The new video service provider (Qwest)
does not have to build their services to everyone in a community.
Cable companies were all required to build cable service to everyone
in a community. Qwest proposes they should be able to wire who they
want to wire and when they want to wire to them. There are currently
strict requirements regarding by when a cable company has to build to
everyone, so everyone can have access to the "competition" this bill
purports to promote. Qwest could wire to the richest part of any town
and not wire to the poorer part of town.
5. No rate regulation. Currently cities who desire to regulate the
basic service tier of rates can do so. Iowa City has always regulated
the basic tier of cable service and as a consequence has the lowest
rates for this service in the state of Iowa.
6. This bill as proposed allows any cable company to opt out of their
franchise, declaring it null and void, once Qwest applies for and
obtains a statewide franchise and states they intend to serve that
city and notify that city by letter. The incumbent cable operator can
then apply for a statewide franchise certificate and by doing so
declare their existing franchise in that or those cities null and void.
7. SF554 will cut off all funding for PEG (Public, Educational and
Governmental) channels in ten years. There are no stipulations or
requirements for funding beyond that time.
8. SF554 also requires PEG channels to pay for any conversion fees to
make their signals compatible with Qwest's system. This could cost
PEG channels as much as $25,000, $13,000 of which would be an annual
cost. Few PEG channels would be able to afford such a cost and could
not continue operating.
8. No studies have shown that head to head competition between cable
companies and phone companies actually lower rates. In fact, a study
done by The Buske Group out of Sacramento, CA. has shown that there
are no distinguishable differences in rates between those areas
served by both phone and cable companies. AT&T's CEO has stated
publicly that there will be no price wars.
9. The phone industry pushed to pass a similar bill in Congress last
year, called the COPE bill. It was defeated. As a consequence the
phone industry decided to attack each state individually with bills
like SF554. They have already been successful in a dozen states and
are currently present in another twenty states pushing for the same
kind of legislation. It is time to create a better model for the states to follow.
SF-554 is not the answer. Lets go back to the drawing board.
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Senate e-mail list
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jeff.angelo@legis.state.ia.us,
staci.appel@legis.state.ia.us,
daryl.beall@legis.state.ia.us,
jerry.behn@legis.state.ia.us,
dennis.black@legis.state.ia.us,
nancy.boettger@legis.state.ia.us,
joe.bolkcom@legis.state.ia.us,
mike.connolly@legis.state.ia.us, thomas.courtney@legis.state.ia.us, jeff.danielson@legis.state.ia.us,
dick.dearden@legis.state.ia.us,
bill.dotzler@legis.state.ia.us,
robert.dvorsky@legis.state.ia.us, eugene.fraise@legis.state.ia.us,
thurman.gaskill@legis.state.ia.us,
michael.gronstal@legis.state.ia.us, james.hahn@legis.state.ia.us,
tom.hancock@legis.state.ia.us,
david.hartsuch@legis.state.ia.us,
jack.hatch@legis.state.ia.us,
bill.heckroth@legis.state.ia.us,
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rob.hogg@legis.state.ia.us,
wally.horn@legis.state.ia.us,
hubert.houser@legis.state.ia.us,
david.johnson@legis.state.ia.us,
steve.kettering@legis.state.ia.us,
john.kibbie@legis.state.ia.us,
keith.kreiman@legis.state.ia.us,
mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us,
matt.mccoy@legis.state.ia.us,
larry.mckibben@legis.state.ia.us,
paul.mckinley@legis.state.ia.us,
dave.mulder@legis.state.ia.us,
larry.noble@legis.state.ia.us,
rich.olive@legis.state.ia.us,
john.putney@legis.state.ia.us,
Herman.Quirmbach@legis.state.ia.us,
amanda.ragan@legis.state.ia.us,
tom.rielly@legis.state.ia.us,
becky.schmitz@legis.state.ia.us,
joe.seng@legis.state.ia.us,
james.seymour@legis.state.ia.us,
roger.stewart@legis.state.ia.us,
pat.ward@legis.state.ia.us,
steve.warnstadt@legis.state.ia.us, ron.wieck@legis.state.ia.us,
Frank.Wood@legis.state.ia.us,
brad.zaun@legis.state.ia.us,
mark.zieman@legis.state.ia.us,
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Dear Members of the Iowa State Legislature:
Please oppose SF 554 Fast-Track Telcom Qwest and vote this bill down. There are so many things wrong with SF 554 that the best thing to do is let this one die and I will help draft another one for the next session. Extending Corporate Welfare to Telcoms at the expense of Iowans non-commercial information services is a bad idea. If passed the bill would take local control of cable franchising FROM communities giving it to a statewide Iowa Utilities Board in Des Moines who only claims to be "A BIT FASTER THAN THE FCC". The bill would also allow companies to pick and choose which neighborhoods get their services, often excluding lower and middle class communities. This legislation would be harmful to consumers and communities because if passed it will: take away local negotiating power ----allow phone companies to provide cable services only where they want ----pressure local governments to raise property taxes and discards the Ben Franklin' 4th Estate ethic by denying basic constructs of net neutrality: build-out. Please protect consumers and local governments in Iowa by keeping local control of communications issues in the localities by voting down SF 554 Fast-Track Telcom Qwest. Sincerely,
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House Ways and Means
Paul.Shomshor@legis.state.ia.us,
Tom.Schueller@legis.state.ia.us,
Tom.S@legis.state.ia.us,
Mark.Davitt@legis.state.ia.us,
Dave.Deyoe@legis.state.ia.us,
Greg.Forristall@legis.state.ia.us,
Marcella.Frevert@legis.state.ia.us,
Pat.Grassley@legis.state.ia.us,
Geri.Huser@legis.state.ia.us,
libby.Jacobs@legis.state.ia.us,
Pam.Jochum@legis.state.ia.us,
Jeff.Kaufmann@legis.state.ia.us,
Doris.Kelley@legis.state.ia.us,
Tyler.Olson@legis.state.ia.us,
Dawn.Pettengill@legis.state.ia.us,
Brian.Quirk@legis.state.ia.us,
Mike.Reasoner@legis.state.ia.us,
Chuck.Soderberg@legis.state.ia.us,
Doug.Struyk@legis.state.ia.us,
Roger.Thomas@legis.state.ia.us,
Jamie.Van.Fossen@legis.state.ia.us,
Roger.Wendt@legis.state.ia.us,
Tami.Wiencek@legis.state.ia.us,
Matt.Windschitl@legis.state.ia.us,
Philip.Wise@legis.state.ia.us,
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House Standing Committee Membership
Brad Hansen (R, District 83), Chair
Clarence Hoffman (R, District 12), Vice Chair
Frank Chiodo (D, District 67), Ranking Member
Clyde Bradley (R, District 37)
Bill Dix (R, District 21)
Libby Jacobs (R, District 74)
Willard Jenkins (R, District 24)
David Johnson (R, District 6)
Steve Kettering (R, District 11)
Janet Metcalf (R, District 75)
Robert Osterhaus (D, District 34)
Janet Petersen (D, District 72)
Brian Quirk (D, District 30)
Scott Raecker (R, District 76)
David Schrader (D, District 90)
Joe Seng (D, District 43)
Patrick Shey (R, District 52)
Dick Taylor (D, District 53)
James Van Fossen (R, District 42)
Steven Warnstadt (D, District 2)
Philip Wise (D, District 98)
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Partial email for House Commerce
Clarence.Hoffman@legis.state.ia.us,
Libby.Jacobs@legis.state.ia.us,
Janet.Petersen@legis.state.ia.us,
Brian.Quirk@legis.state.ia.us,
Scott.Raecker@legis.state.ia.us, Jamie.Van.Fossen@legis.state.ia.us,
Philip.Wise@legis.state.ia.us
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Iowa House alphabetical:
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Abdul-Samad Ako Ako.Abdul-Samad@legis.state.ia.us
Alons Dwayne Dwayne.Alons@legis.state.ia.us
Anderson Rich Richard.Anderson@legis.state.ia.us
Arnold Rich Richard.Arnold@legis.state.ia.us
Bailey McKinley Mckinley.Bailey@legis.state.ia.us
Baudler Clel Clel.Baudler@legis.state.ia.us
Bell Paul Paul.Bell@legis.state.ia.us
Berry Deborah Deborah.Berry@legis.state.ia.us
Boal Carmine Carmine.Boal@legis.state.ia.us
Bukta Polly Polly.Bukta@legis.state.ia.us
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Jacobs Libby Libby.Jacobs@legis.state.ia.us
Jacoby David David.Jacoby@legis.state.ia.us
Jochum Pam Pam.Jochum@legis.state.ia.us
Kaufmann Jeff Jeff.Kaufmann@legis.state.ia.us
Kelley Doris Doris.Kelley@legis.state.ia.us
Kressig Bob Bob.Kressig@legis.state.ia.us
Kuhn Mark Mark.Kuhn@legis.state.ia.us
Lensing Vicki Vicki.Lensing@legis.state.ia.us
Lukan Steven Steven.Lukan@legis.state.ia.us
Lykam Jim Jim.Lykam@legis.state.ia.us
Mascher Mary Mary.Mascher@legis.state.ia.us
May Mike Mike.May@legis.state.ia.us
McCarthy Kevin Kevin.McCarthy@legis.state.ia.us
Mertz Dolores Dolores.Mertz@legis.state.ia.us
Miller Helen Helen.Miller@legis.state.ia.us
Miller Linda Linda.Miller@legis.state.ia.us
Murphy Pat Pat.Murphy@legis.state.ia.us
Oldson Jo Jo.Oldson@legis.state.ia.us
Olson Steven Steven.Olson@legis.state.ia.us
Olson Donovan Donovan.Olson@legis.state.ia.us
Olson Rick Rick.Olson@legis.state.ia.us
Olson Tyler Tyler.Olson@legis.state.ia.us
Palmer Eric Eric.Palmer@legis.state.ia.us
Paulsen Kraig Kraig.Paulsen@legis.state.ia.us
Petersen Janet Janet.Petersen@legis.state.ia.us
Pettengill Dawn Dawn.Pettengill@legis.state.ia.us
Quirk Brian Brian.Quirk@legis.state.ia.us
Raecker Scott Scott.Raecker@legis.state.ia.us
Rants Christopher Christopher.Rants@legis.state.ia.us
Rasmussen Dan Dan.Rasmussen@legis.state.ia.us
Rayhons Henry Henry.Rayhons@legis.state.ia.us
Reasoner Mike Mike.Reasoner@legis.state.ia.us
Reichert Nathan Nathan.Reichert@legis.state.ia.us
Roberts Rod Rod.Roberts@legis.state.ia.us
Sands Tom Tom.Sands@legis.state.ia.us
Schickel Bill Bill.Schickel@legis.state.ia.us
Schueller Tom Tom.Schueller@legis.state.ia.us
Shomshor Paul Paul.Shomshor@legis.state.ia.us
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Smith Mark Mark.Smith@legis.state.ia.us
Soderberg Chuck Chuck.Soderberg@legis.state.ia.us
Staed Art Art.Staed@legis.state.ia.us
Struyk Doug Doug.Struyk@legis.state.ia.us
Swaim Kurt Kurt.Swaim@legis.state.ia.us
Taylor Dick Dick.Taylor@legis.state.ia.us
Taylor Todd Todd.Taylor@legis.state.ia.us
Thomas Roger Roger.Thomas@legis.state.ia.us
Tjepkes Dave David.Tjepkes@legis.state.ia.us
Tomenga Walt Walt.Tomenga@legis.state.ia.us
Tymeson Jodi Jodi.Tymeson@legis.state.ia.us
Upmeyer Linda Linda.Upmeyer@legis.state.ia.us
Van Engelenhoven Jim Jim.Van.Engelenhoven@legis.state.ia.us
Van Fossen Jamie Jamie.Van.Fossen@legis.state.ia.us
Watts Ralph Ralph.Watts@legis.state.ia.us
Wendt Roger Roger.Wendt@legis.state.ia.us
Wenthe Andrew Andrew.Wenthe@legis.state.ia.us
Wessel-Kroeschell Beth Beth.Wessel-Kroeschell@legis.state.ia.us
Whitaker John John.Whitaker@legis.state.ia.us
Whitead Wes Wes.Whitead@legis.state.ia.us
Wiencek Tami Tami.Wiencek@legis.state.ia.us
Winckler Cindy Cindy.Winckler@legis.state.ia.us
Windschitl Matt Matt.Windschitl@legis.state.ia.us
Wise Philip Philip.Wise@legis.state.ia.us
Worthan Gary Gary.Worthan@legis.state.ia.us
Zirkelbach Ray Ray.Zirkelbach@legis.state.ia.us
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Chambers Royd Royd.Chambers@legis.state.ia.us
Clute Dan Dan.Clute@legis.state.ia.us
Cohoon Dennis Dennis.Cohoon@legis.state.ia.us
Dandekar Swati Swati.Dandekar@legis.state.ia.us
Davitt Mark Mark.Davitt@legis.state.ia.us
DeBoef Betty Betty.DeBoef@legis.state.ia.us
Deyoe Dave Dave.Deyoe@legis.state.ia.us
Dolecheck Cecil Cecil.Dolecheck@legis.state.ia.us
Drake Jack Jack.Drake@legis.state.ia.us
Foege Ro Ro.Foege@legis.state.ia.us
Ford Wayne Wayne.Ford@legis.state.ia.us
Forristall Greg Greg.Forristall@legis.state.ia.us
Frevert Marcella Marcella.Frevert@legis.state.ia.us
Gaskill Mary Mary.Gaskill@legis.state.ia.us
Gayman Elesha Elesha.Gayman@legis.state.ia.us
Gipp Chuck Chuck.Gipp@legis.state.ia.us
Granzow Polly Polly.Granzow@legis.state.ia.us
Grassley Pat Pat.Grassley@legis.state.ia.us
Greiner Sandy Sandra.Greiner@legis.state.ia.us
Heaton Dave Dave.Heaton@legis.state.ia.us
Heddens Lisa Lisa.Heddens@legis.state.ia.us
Hoffman Clarence Clarence.Hoffman@legis.state.ia.us
Horbach Lance Lance.Horbach@legis.state.ia.us
Hunter Bruce Bruce.Hunter@legis.state.ia.us
Huseman Dan Dan.Huseman@legis.state.ia.us
Huser Geri Geri.Huser@legis.state.ia.us
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Sample letter for Congresional House bill
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Dear Commerce Science and technology Committee,
I.
a)
b)
c)
II.
a)
b)
c)
III.
a)
b)
c)
Sincerely,
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Sample letter for Congresional Senate bill
Dear Commerce Science and technology Committee,
I.
a)
b)
c)
II.
a)
b)
c)
III.
a)
b)
c)
Sincerely,
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House Standing Committee Membership
Paul Shomshor (D, District 100), Chair
Tom Schueller (D, District 25), Vice Chair
Tom Sands (R, District 87), Ranking Member
Mark Davitt (D, District 74)
Dave Deyoe (R, District 10)
Greg Forristall (R, District 98)
Marcella Frevert (D, District 7)
Pat Grassley (R, District 17)
Geri Huser (D, District 42)
Libby Jacobs (R, District 60)
Pam Jochum (D, District 27)
Jeff Kaufmann (R, District 79)
Doris Kelley (D, District 20)
Tyler Olson (D, District 38)
Dawn Pettengill (D, District 39)
Brian Quirk (D, District 15)
Mike Reasoner (D, District 95)
Chuck Soderberg (R, District 3)
Doug Struyk (R, District 99)
Roger Thomas (D, District 24)
Jamie Van Fossen (R, District 81)
Roger Wendt (D, District 2)
Tami Wiencek (R, District 21)
Matt Windschitl (R, District 56)
Philip L. Wise (D, District 92)
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Chet.Culver@iowa.gov Dem Governor
Michael.Gronstal@legis.state.ia.us Dem Senate Leader
Pat.Murphy@legis.state.ia.us Dem Speaker of the House
Kevin.McCarthy@legis.state.ia.us Dem House Leader
John.Kibbie@legis.state.ia.us Dem Senate Leader
Paul.shomshor@legis.state.ia.us Dem Ways & Means Chair
Tom.schueller@legis.state.ia.us Dem Ways & Means Vice Chair
Tom.sands@legis.state.ia.us Repub Ways & Means Ranking Member
John.Whitaker@legis.state.ia.us Dem House Leadership
Becky.Schmitz@legis.state.ia.us Dem Senate Member
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