Amateur Radio Parity Act Passes the House

Press Release

Today, the House passed H.R. 1301, the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015, by a voice vote. Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) introduced the bill in March of last year and the House Energy and Commerce passed it through the full committee this past July.

The legislation directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to amend regulations that currently hamper the ability for many operators to effectively communicate with one another in certain areas around the country.

Upon passage of this important legislation, Congressman Kinzinger released the following statement:

"Today's vote takes us another step closer to ensuring amateur radio operators throughout the country are able to effectively communicate with one another. I've personally used amateur radio through the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) while flying overseas, and know firsthand the importance of having the lines of communication open and available in this system."

"In times of emergency, when all other forms of communications have failed, this legislation ensures that Amateur Radio operators will now have the means to utilize this vital and lifesaving function. These operators serve as the last line of defense for the communications of our first responders and it's important that we support them."

As the lead co-sponsor of H.R. 1301, Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT) shared this statement on today's vote:

"I am excited with the bipartisan support this measure received in the House today. As their actions during Hurricane Sandy proved, amateur radio operators in Connecticut can be a critical component of disaster response. It is in our communities' best interest that we give them the capabilities to operate at the highest level, and with the passage of this bill, we've taken a strong step in that direction."

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