NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION for NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION
What was lobbied
6 issue areas, each in the filer's own words, with who lobbied on it and where.
Telecommunications TEC
Monitored and reacted to and develop proposals that will impact the operations of rural communications providers and the association. With regard to the measures listed below, the association is committed to pursuing a policy environment that allows the association's members to continue serving the high cost markets few or no other entities have cared to serve. The association's primary objective in this regard is to ensure artificial and uneconomical hurdles and barriers are not placed in their way as they attempt to provide such rural communications services. The association believes in setting the appropriate stage to provide rural carriers with the necessary tools to allow adequate cost recovery for the infrastructure and services companies are providing to rural Americans. Maintaining a balanced formula of cost recovery consisting of fair consumer rates, appropriate intercarrier compensation, and adequate universal service are all key to this objective. The association further believes that competitive entrants to the business should be willing to live up to the same industry responsibilities surrounding these concepts that incumbent rural carriers have met for decades. In addition, the association strongly advocates for fair access to all forms of content and infrastructure whether in voice, video, or data formats and whether provided via land line or in a mobile fashion. The association from time to time compared notes and informally coordinated messaging with both members and non-members alike, but ultimately identifies, develops, and carries out all lobbying strategies and activities individually, under its own name. The association's advocacy efforts revolve entirely around the premise of informing and educating policymakers and the public alike about issues that are related to the provision of communications services in rural America. NTCA, its members and the rural populace recognize that an appropriate opeerating environment is essential if small rural providers are to be able to continue doing the effective entrepreneurial job that they always have in providing superior communications services to rural Americans. There were issues where the association did not focus on legislation itself, but rather focused on issues and worked with different members of Congress to help them understand the related issues and/or issue some form of public statement, letter, memo on the given subject. For example, we worked with a number of offices to try to ensure that the Federal Communications Commission understood that there were many member of Congress that wanted to see the Federal State Joint Board recommendations on universal service implemented. Likewise, we continued discussions in intercarrier compensation as well as phantom traffic and other cost recovery issues. We also wise, we discussed spectrum and digitial television transition issues with offices as well as baordband deployment and rural policy in general. During the reporting period the association focused particular attention on the following bills: H.R. 278-To amend section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that funds received as universal service contributions and the universal service support programs established pursuant to that section are not subject to certain provisions of Title 31, United States Code, commonly known as the Antideficiency Act-all sections. H.R. 2054-Universal Service Reform Act of 2007-all sections. H.R. 2419-Farm Bill Extension Act - Title 6 Rural Development-subsections related to RUS programs with particular attention on the Boardband Program. H.R. 3281-Community Broadband Act of 2007-all sections. H.R. 3403-A bill to promote and enhance public safety by facilitating the rapid deployment of IP-enabled 911 and E-911 access to those with disabilities. H.R. 3541-To amend the Do-not-call Implementation Act of eliminate the automatic removal of telephone numbers registered on the federal "do-not-call" registry. H.R. 3919-Broadband Census of America Act of 2007-all sections. H.R. 5353-To establish broadband policy and direct the Federal Commnunications Commission to conduct a proceeding and public broadband summits to assess competition, consumer protection, and consumer choice issues relating to broadband Internet access services, and for other purposes. S. 101-A bill to update and reinvigorate universal services provided under the Communications Act of 1934-all sections. S. 215-Internet Freedom Preservation Act-A bill to ensure net neutrality-all sections. S. 609-A bill to amend section 254 of the Communications Act of 1934 to provide that funds received as universal service conributions and the universal service support programs established pursuant to that section are not subject to certain provisions of Title 31, United States Code, commonly known as the Antidificiency Act-all sections. S. 1492-Broadband Date Improvement Act-all sections. S. 1853-Community Broadband Act of 2007-all sections. S. 2302-A bill to provide for the continuation of agriculture programs through fY 2012-sections related to Rural Utilities Service Broadband Program.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOSEPH EAVES | — |
| ADAM HEALY | — |
| TAMMIE LOGAN | — |
| THOMAS WACKER | — |
Insurance INS
Monitored and reacted to policies that ensure NTCA is able to continue offering its high quality Group Health Plan to members, their employees and the association staff at affordable rates and on reasonable terms and conditions.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOSEPH EAVES | — |
| ADAM HEALY | — |
| TAMMIE LOGAN | — |
| THOMAS WACKER | — |
Taxation/Internal Revenue Code TAX
Monitored and reacted to proposals tied to the federal excise tax on communications which is unfairly applied to different communications services, the federal estate tax, which inhibits the transfer of rural telcos and other rural assets to heirs, and other taxation initiatives that may help or hinder operations of rural community based communications providers. Also focused attention on the full implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley statute that has the potential to create many financial burdens on small business entities such as rural communications providers. During the reporting period the association focused particular attention to the following: Estate Tax-Discussed the issue in general with different policymakers and committees. S. Con. Res. 70-Estate Tax Amendments: Bacus#4160, Salazar#4196, Kyl#4191, Landrieu, Kyl #4372. Telephone Excise Tax- H.R. 1194-to amend the Internal Revenue Service Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on telephone and other communications services - all sections. S. 140- to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on telephone and other commnications services-all sections. S. 170 - to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the excise tax on telephone and other communications services- all sections.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOSEPH EAVES | — |
| ADAM HEALY | — |
| TAMMIE LOGAN | — |
| THOMAS WACKER | — |
Retirement RET
Monitored and responded to policies that ensure NTCA is able to continue offering its high quality Retirement Security Plans to members, their employees and the association staff at affordable rates and on reasonable terms and conditions. During the reporting period the association focused particular attention on the following: H.R. 3185-To amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to provide special reporting and disclosure rules for individual account plans and to establish in the Department of Labor an Advisory Council on Improving Employer-Employee Retirement Practices-all sections.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOSEPH EAVES | — |
| ADAM HEALY | — |
| TAMMIE LOGAN | — |
| THOMAS WACKER | — |
Economics/Economic Development ECN
Monitored and commented on the concept of rural economic development and talked to different policy makers about the connection between advanced telecommunications technologies and the ability of rural communities to survive and contribute to the general economic and national security. During the reporting period the association focused particular attention on several bills realted to universal service and broadband which are listed under the TEC subject hearing.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOSEPH EAVES | — |
| ADAM HEALY | — |
| TAMMIE LOGAN | — |
| THOMAS WACKER | — |
Budget/Appropriations BUD
The association follows various budget and appropriations measures as well as related bills, that in one way or another either relate to funding for a specific program the organization's members may be able to utilize, or that are tied to the ongoing operations of agencies that are important to the operations of the association and its members. During this reporting period, the association focused particular attention on the following: The President's FY2009 Budget Proposal and related appendices that outline the administration's spending proposals for the Rural Utilities Service, the Rural Business Cooperatives Services and the Federal Communications Commission, as well as related telecommunications programs under each of these agencies. Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008, and drafts of the FY 2009 language. Specific attention paid to the Rural Utilities Service programs and the Rural Business Cooperative Service programs. H.R. 2829 - Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2008, and drafts of the FY 2009 language. Specific attention paid to the Federal Communications Commission funding and related provisions.
| Lobbyist | Covered position, as disclosed |
|---|---|
| JOSEPH EAVES | — |
| ADAM HEALY | — |
| TAMMIE LOGAN | — |
| THOMAS WACKER | — |
Shown as published by the Senate Office of Public Records and the House Clerk under the Lobbying Disclosure Act. The official filing is the record; open it for the full form.