One of the main goals of the EDUCAUSE Federal Policy Initiative is to present a unified voice for our community when speaking with federal policy makers. This is accomplished by making contacts, developing relationships, and following the trends in policy at the national level. Much of this work is done on an informal, often indirect basis. However, opportunities arise when formal communications are appropriate. This advocacy library provides a glimpse at documents, organized by date, that have been developed in the EDUCAUSE Policy office and sent to representatives of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches of the federal government.
| Date: | Addressed to: | Description: | Link: |
| October 26, 2009 | Honorable Larry Strickling, Assistant Secretary of Commerce/Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) | Senate letter expressing concerns about the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program not reaching enough anchor institutions. Includes signatures from Senators Kerry, Udall, Warner, Gillibrand, Landrieu, and Dorgan. EDUCAUSE aided in having this letter organized and sent. | Letter |
| October 26, 2009 | Chairman Max Baucus and Ranking Member Charles Grassley, Senate Finance Commmittee; Chairman Charles Rangel and Ranking Member Dave Camp, House Ways and Means Committee | ACE joint letter supporting the MOBILE Cell Phone Act, which would modernize the tax treatment of cell phones. | Letter |
| October 21, 2009 | FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski | EDUCAUSE/Internet2/ACUTA letter supporting FCC's public proceedings on the net neutrality question. | Letter |
| September 16, 2009 | Members of the U.S. House of Representatives | ACE joint letter regarding concerns about certain provisions in H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. | Letter |
| September 8, 2009 | Federal Communications Commission (FCC) | Reply comments to National Broadband Plan Public Notice #1 regarding international comparison and survey requirements in the Broadband Data Improvement Act. Submitted by the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition. | Letter |
| September 4, 2009 | Federal Communications Commission (FCC) | Comments regarding the National Broadband Plan submitted by the Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition. | Letter |
| August 31, 2009 | Gwellnar Banks, U.S. Department of Commerce | Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition joint letter regarding collection requirements included in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). | Letter |
| August 21, 2009 | Internal Revenue Service | Comments on IRS proposal to simplify rules on employees' use of employer-provided cell phones. | Letter |
| July 21, 2009 | Chairman Gary Miller, House Committee on Education and Labor | ACE joint letter regarding provisions in H.R. 3221, the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act. | Letter |
| July 13, 2009 | Honorable Larry Strickling, Assistant Secretary of Commerce/Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) | Schools, Health and Libraries Broadband Coalition joint letter. | Letter |
| July 1, 2009 | Representatives Nydia Velazquez and Charles Gonzalez, Chair and Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus | Joint letter supporting S. 729/H.R. 1751, the DREAM Act. | Letter |
| June 24, 2009 | Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Member Thad Cochran, Senate Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations | Joint letter supporting funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology Program in the FY10 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (Senate version). | Letter |
| June 24, 2009 | Chairman David Obey and Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt, House Subcommittee on Labor- HHS-Education Appropriations | Joint letter supporting funding for the Enhancing Education Through Technology Program in the FY10 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (House version). | Letter |
| June 9, 2009 | Members of the U.S. House of Representatives | Joint letter supporting 'study abroad' provisions in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for FY2010-FY2011. | Letter |
| May 15, 2009 | Chairman David Obey and Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt, House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies | Joint letter supporting federal funding for Higher Education Act programs. | Letter |
| May 15, 2009 | Chairman Tom Harkin and Ranking Member Thad Cochran, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies | Joint letter supporting federal funding for Higher Education Act programs. | Letter |
| May 4, 2009 | The Honorable Joe Hackney, Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives | Joint letter opposing H.B. 1252, State of North Carolina legislation that would affect public broadband initiatives. | Letter |
| April 20, 2009 | The Honorable Bev Perdue, Governor of North Carolina | EDUCAUSE letter opposing H.B. 1252, State of North Carolina legislation that would affect public broadband initiatives. | Letter |
| April 13, 2009 | Secretary Locke, Department of Commerce; Secretary Vilsack, Department of Agriculture; and Acting Assistant Secretary Gomez, Department of Commerce | Comments in response to Request for Information on Section 6001 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 Broadband Initiatives (Docket No. 090309298-9299-01) | Letter |
| April 6, 2009 | Secretary Dortch, FCC | Notice of Ex Parte Presentation –the Commission’s Consultative Role in the Broadband Provisions of the Recovery Act, GN Docket No.09-40 | Notice of Ex Parte Presentation |
| April 1, 2009 | U.S. House of Representatives | Sign-on to ACE House Budget Resolution Letter for H.Con.Res.85 | House Budget Resolution Letter |
January 30, 2009
| Majority Leader Reid and Republican Leader McConnell | EDUCAUSE and Internet 2 Letter to Senate regarding economic stimulus legislation
| Ecomonic Stimulus Legislation Letter |
| December 22, 2008 | Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid, Republican Leaders McConnell, and Boehner | EDUCAUSE and Internet 2 Economic Stimulus Letter to Leadership | Economic Stimulus Letter |
| September 19, 2008 | Congress and for Public Release | A Call to Action for a National Broadband Strategy
| Call to Action |
| October 8, 2008 | Department of Education | EDUCAUSE letter regarding peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing provisions in the Higher Education Opportunity Act. | EDUCAUSE Letter on HEOA P2P Provisions |
| October 3, 2008 | Senators John McCain and Barack Obama | AAAS and AAU letter recommending prompt nomination of a science advisor for the new administration | Science Advisor Recommendation Letter |
| October 1, 2008 | Secretary Dortch, FCC | Notice of Ex Parte filing related to text messages | Ex Parte Filing Responding to Wireless Companies |
| July 1, 2008 | Secretary Dortch, FCC | Sign-on to an ex parte filing by the Open Internet Coalition that calls for USF reform that includes support for universal affordable broadband and protection for an open Internet. Docket No. 05-337 and 96-45 | Letter to FCC |
| June 9, 2008 | Chairman Martin, FCC | EDUCAUSE proposal, “Blueprint for Big Broadband” submitted as comments in two proceedings: High-Cost Universal Service Support WC Docket No. 05-337 and Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service CC Docket No. 96-45 | Comments to the FCC 5.9.2008 Comments to the FCC 5.9.2008 (Blueprint for Big Broadband) |
| November 26, 2007 | Chairman Miller and Ranking Member McKeon, House Education and Labor Committee | Letter asking that HR 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act, be amended to exclude Section 494(a)(2) | Letter to Chairman Miller 11.26.2007 |
| November 13, 2007 | Chairman Martin, FCC | Sign-on to Ex Parte Filing regarding forbearance petitions by Verizon and Qwest. | Forbearance Letter to Martin 11.13.07
|
| October 3, 2007 | Chairman Dingell, House Committee on Energy and Commerce | Sign on to Open Internet Coalition letter in response to the Verizon/NARAL and AT&T net neutrality incidents. | Open Internet Coalition Letter 10.3.2007 |
| September 21, 2007 | Members of the United States Senate; Members of the House of Representatives | Sign-On letter asking members of both houses in Congress to approve passage of the Community Broadband Act of 2007 (S.1853/HR3281), permitting local governments to build and deploy municipal broadband networks. | CommunityBroadbandCoalitionLetter_Sen9.07 [PDF 56 KB] and CommunityBroadbandCoalitionLetter_Rep9.07 [PDF 56 KB] |
| August 24, 2007 | FCC | Comments to the FCC by ad hoc public interest spectrum coalition regarding implementation of section 304 of the Telecommunications Act, commercial availability of navigation devices, and compatibility between cable systems and consumers electronics equipment. | CableCardFCC8.07
[PDF 97 KB] |
| August 23, 2007 | Representatives Rick Boucher and Fred Upton; Senator Frank Lautenberg | EDUCAUSE thank you letters to Representatives Rick Boucher (D-Va) and Fred Upton (R-MI) and Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) for introducing the "Community Broadband Act of 2007" (H.R.3281/S.1853), which would grant local governments the right to build and deploy community broadband networks. | MuniBBUpton.Boucher8.07 [PDF 34 KB] and MuniBBLautenberg8.07 [PDF 35 KB] |
| July 16, 2007 | FCC | Sign on to Reply Comments re: NBC Universal and its comments regarding the Broadband Industry Practices NPRM Docket No. 07-52 | Reply Comments to Docket 07-52 (7.16.07) |
| July 11, 2007 | Chairman Martin, FCC | Sign on to group letter in the TV White Spaces Proceeding, 04-186, 02-380 | White Spaces Letter 7.11.07 |
| July 2, 2007 | Governor Easley, Chairman Luebke, and Members of the House Finance Committee | EDUCAUSE letter in opposition to North Carolina’s "Local Government Fair Competition Act" (HB1587), which would frustrate local government efforts to build and deploy broadband networks. | EasleyLetter7.07
[PDF 34 KB] |
| June 15, 2007 | FCC Docket #07-52 | Open Internet Coalition comments to the FCC regarding Broadband Industry Practices, and in particular Net Neutrality. | Open Internet Coalition Comments6.15.07
[PDF 175 KB] |
| June 14, 2007 | FCC | Sign on to letter to the FCC regarding using the White Spaces for unlicensed broadband access as soon and as much as possible. | White Spaces Letter6.14.2007[PDF 229 KB] |
| June 13, 2007 | Chairman Martin, FCC | Sign-on to the Open Internet Coalition letter regarding set top box rules | Open Internet Coalition Letter6.13.07
[PDF 27 KB] |
| May 24, 2007 | Members of Congress | Sign-on to the Open Internet Coalition letter asking for the establishment of a National Broadband Policy | Open Internet Coalition Letter5.24.07
[PDF 92 KB] |
| May 23, 2007 | FCC | Sign-on to Comments by the Ad Hoc Public Interest Spectrum Coalition in the 700 MHz Auction NPRM (Docket No.’s 06-150, 06-229, 05-211, 96-86) | Comments5.23.07
[PDF 2,286 KB] |
| April 30, 2007 | FCC | Sign on to Comments by the Ad Hoc Public Interest Spectrum Coalition in support of the Skype Communications Carterfone Petition | Comments4.30.07
[PDF 1,914 KB] |
| March 2, 2007 | FCC Docket No. 04-186 and 02-380 | Sign on to Comments by the New America Foundation regarding Unlicensed Operation in the TV Broadcast Spectrum and Additional Spectrum for Unlicensed Devices Below 900 MHz and in the 3 GHz Band | NAF Comments to the FCC3.2.07
[PDF 177 KB] |
| February 28, 2007 | Chairman Kevin Martin, FCC | Letter in support of spectrum being designated for innovative wireless broadband programs such as that proposed by M2Z in Docket 07-16 and 07-30 | EDUCAUSE to Martin2.28.07
[PDF 35 KB] |
| February 27, 2007 | Dereck E. Davis, Chairman of the Economic Matters Committee, Maryland House of Delegates | Sign-on to letter of support for HB 1069 – Public Service Commission, Broadband Internet Service that contains a net neutrality provision | Letter of support for HB10692.25.07
[PDF 1,016 KB] |
| February 27, 2007 | United States Senate and House of Representatives | Sign-on to letter drafted by Free Press, Public Knowledge, and Google asking for a National Broadband Policy | Broadband Agenda Letter2.25.07
[PDF 25 KB] |
| January 12, 2007 | Speaker Nancy Pelosi | EDUCAUSE joined nine other organizations, including the American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Computing Research Association (CRA), the Coalition for Academic Scientific Computation (CASC), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE-USA), Internet2, Microsoft Corporation, the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), and TechNet, in this letter to Speaker of House Pelosi. The letter asks her to support increases for FY2007 funding already approved by the full House and the Senate Appropriations Committee for the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Department of Energy Office of Science in the FY 2007 appropriations Continuing Resolution or final appropriations. | PelosiJointLetter1.12.07
[PDF 40 KB] |
| January 9, 2007 | Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Byrd, Senator Mikulski, Rep. Mollohan, and Rep. Obey | This letter was written to urge key members of Congress to increase National Science Foundation funding in FY2007 in excess of the previous year's budget. A similar letter was submitted by a broad range of organizations representing the Information Technology community. | ReidLetter1.9.07
[PDF 38 KB], PelosiLetter1.9.07
[PDF 38 KB], ByrdLetter1.9.07
[PDF 38 KB], MikulskiLetter1.9.07
[PDF 38 KB], MollohanLetter1.9.07
[PDF 38 KB], and ObeyLetter1.9.07
[PDF 38 KB] |
| October 24, 2006 | FCC | Sign on to Comments by the It's Our Net Coalition addressing the AT&T/Bell South merger and requested net neutrality conditions | Comments10.24.06
[PDF 41 KB] |
| September 13, 2006 | Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye | Letter outlining suggested changes to net neutrality legislative language | Letter9.13.06
[PDF 22 KB] |
| June 19, 2006 | Senator Stevens and Senator Inouye | Letter outlining the four problems HE has with HR5252 as drafted. | Letter6.19.06
[PDF 26 KB] |
| June 14, 2006 | Senate Judiciary Committee | Testimony of Jeff Kuhns before the Senate Judiciary Committee | Testimony6.14.06
[PDF 28 KB] |
| June 2, 2006 | Internet Caucus Advisory Council | One-page issue brief, "Legislating Net Neutrality – Necessary?" | Issue brief6.2.06
[PDF 23 KB] |
| May 24, 2006 | Rep. Sensenbrenner and Rep. Conyers | Sign-on to ACE letter in support of HR 5417 | ACE letter 5.24.06
[PDF 74 KB] |
| May 19, 2006 | Rep. Hastert and Rep. Pelosi | Sign-on to ACE letter in support of net neutrality | ACE letter 5.19.06
[PDF 27 KB] |
| May 2, 2006 | Senator Snowe and Senator Dorgan | Letter from EDCAUSE and Internet2 thanking them for their legislation on net neutrality. | Letter to Senators Snowe and Dorgan
[PDF 28 KB] |
| April 7, 2006 | Representatives Barton and Dingell | Sign-on to a letter from the Community Broadband Coalition in support of Title IV of the COPE Act | Letter to Representatives Barton and Dingell
[PDF 143 KB] |
| April 7, 2006 | Louisiana State Legislature | Sign-on to a letter from the Community Broadband Coalition asking that the 2004 Local Government Fair Competition Act be repealed in support of Community Broadband | Letter to Louisiana State Legislature
[PDF 66 KB] |
| March 29, 2006 | Representatives Barton and Dingell | Sign-on to a letter from AAU to the House Commerce Committee regarding net neutrality language in the proposed House bill on telecommunications reform. | Association of American Universities letter
[PDF 21 KB] |
| March 28, 2006 | Press Release | EDUCAUSE/Internet2 press release regarding the language in the Barton House Bill | Press release regarding House Bill Language
[PDF 32 KB] |
| March 16, 2006 | Senator Stevens and Inouye | Sign-on to industry/consumer group letter to the Senate Commerce Committee | EPO0619.pdf
[PDF 13 KB] |
| March 13, 2006 | 10th District Federal Court of Appeals | CALEA Reply Brief is a response to the arguments submitted by the FCC and the DoJ. | CALEA Reply Brief
[PDF 82 KB] |
| March 9, 2006 | Senator Stevens and Inouye | Sign-on to letter from AAU to Senate Commerce Committee members regarding net neutrality | EPO0621.pdf
[PDF 30 KB] |
| March 6, 2006 | Representatives Barton and Dingell | Sign-on to AAU letter to House Commerce Committee regarding net neutrality language in Barton House Bill | Association of American Universities letter
[PDF 30 KB] |
| March 2, 2006 | Press Release | EDUCAUSE press release supporting Senator Wyden's Bill S. 2360 | Press release regarding Senator Wyden's Bill 2360
[PDF 11 KB] |
| March 2, 2006 | Senator Wyden | Letter showing EDUCAUSE support for Senator Wyden's Bill on net neutrality S. 2360 | Letter to Senator Wyden
[PDF 69 KB] |
| March 1, 2006 | Representatives Barton and Dingell | Sign-on to industry/consumer group letter to the House Commerce Committee in support of net neutrality language in the Barton House bill | Letter to Representatives Barton and Dingell
[PDF 13 KB] |
| February 10, 2006 | Chronicle of Higher Education | EDUCAUSE Letter to the CHE regarding CALEA | EPO0602.pdf
[PDF 30 KB] |
| January 26, 2006 | 10th District Federal Court of Appeals | This is the document filed as a formal appeal of the FCC ruling concerning CALEA. It presents the argument for why the American Council on Education, EDUCAUSE, and other higher education associations, feel that the FCC ruling should be overturned. | Filing
[PDF 2,085 KB] |
| December 13, 2005 | United States Senate | Sign on to letter asking senators to support S.1294, "The Community Broadband Act of 2005", designed to grant local governments the right to build and deploy their own broadband networks. | EPO0548.pdf
[PDF 98 KB] |
| December 6, 2005 | Staff of the House Commerce Subcommittee on the Internet | Suggested legislative language for the net neutrality provisions in the staff draft of telecom legislation. | Proposed Amendment
[PDF 14 KB] |
| December 6, 2005 | Congressmen Boucher and Terry | Letters in support of the Universal Service Reform Act of 2005. | Boucher
[PDF 34 KB]
Terry
[PDF 34 KB] |
| November 14, 2005 | FCC | Further Comments on CALEA ET Docket No. 04-295 submitted on behalf of the Higher Education Coalition. | Filing
[PDF 78 KB] |
| July 7, 2005 | Senate | Sign-on to support for the restoration of funding for the TOP program | Top Funding6.24.05
[PDF 173 KB] |
| July 6, 2005 | Congress and General Public | Sign-on to Public Knowledge's "Principals for an Open Broadband Future." | PK Broadband7.6.05
[PDF 293 KB] |
| June 24, 2005 | Congress | Sign-on to a letter opposing any "broadcast flag" legislation in response to the recent U.S. Appeals Court decision striking down the FCC Flag Order | Broadcast Flag Letter6.24.05
[PDF 16 KB] |
| June 23, 2005 | U.S. Senate | Sign-on to letter in support of S 1294, the Community Broadband Act of 2005. | Letter6.23.05 [PDF 35 KB] |
| June 12, 2005 | Department of Commerce | Comments on the proposal to require export licenses for foreign nationals to operate certain research equipment. | Comments [PDF 53 KB] |
| June 8, 2005 | U.S. Senate | Sign-on to a letter to the U.S. Senate (or selected Senators) requesting support for community and municipal broadband projects. | ComNetwork6.8.05 [PDF 35 KB] |
| May 2, 2005 | Congressional Staff and Chairman Martin | White Paper on the importance of broadband to higher education and the country as a whole. "Broadband America: An Unrealized Vision" was developed by the Broadband Policy Working Group. | Broadband America |
| May 2, 2005 | Congressional Staff and Chairman Martin | One page "Higher Education Perspective on Telecommunications Reform" that outlines the five basic principles that the HE community would like included in any rewrite of the Telecommunications Act. | Telecom Principles [PDF 19 KB] |
| May 2, 2005 | Copyright Office: Jule L. Sigall | Sign on to letter regarding Reply Comments concerning orphan works inquiry. | Copyright5.2.05
[PDF 136 KB] |
| April 18, 2005 | Internet Caucus Advisory Committee | One-pager providing the EDUCAUSE recommendations on inhibiting communication transport providers from blocking of Internet protocol traffic, and the potential consequences on the development and use of the Internet if blocking is allowed to continue. | Filing [PDF 32 KB] |
| March 21, 2005 | FCC Ex Parte meetings | Ex Parte filing regarding meetings with the FCC Commissioner's re: Level 3 Petition | Filing [PDF 1,387 KB] |
| March 11, 2005 | FCC CALEA Working Group | Ex Parte filing regarding the meeting with the FCC CALEA Working Group re: progress with the DoJ on CALEA | Filing [PDF 307 KB] |
| March 4, 2005 | FCC Chairman Powell | Sign on to letter in support of the Level 3 Petition | Letter [PDF 15 KB] |
| February 18, 2005 | Congress and the FCC | Sign on to letter asking Congress and the FCC to resist legislation designed to restrict municipal networks | EPO0502.pdf
[PDF 14 KB] |
| February 18, 2005 | Iowa State General Assembly | Letter requesting the defeat of proposed legislation that would restrict municipal networks in Iowa. | EPO0501.pdf
[PDF 15 KB] |
| February 18, 2005 | EDUCAUSE Iowa member reps | Letter asking for their support to stop legislation in Iowa that would restrict municipal networks. | epo0503.pdf
[PDF 23 KB] |
| January 31, 2005 | FCC | Sign-on in support of the New America Foundation reply comments to the FCC requesting additional spectrum be made available for unlicensed devices. | Comments |
