Dear Senator McCain:
As chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, you have taken courageous stands on many major controversial issues of the day. Even at the risk of becoming a pariah in your own party and a political target of the powerful tobacco lobby, you have spoken loudly and forcefully for campaign finance reform and tobacco legislation. You are willing to fight the good fight, even if it means conceding defeat to colleagues who answer to cash over conscience.
For that and other reasons, some believe you have the right stuff for a 2000 presidential run. Your maverick ways and means have made you the darling of a Washington press corps otherwise hung up on scandal.
In the telecom arena, you can say `I told you so’ as one of a handful to vote against a ’96 telecom act that’s produced mammoth consolidation and minor residential local competition.
Last year, you championed a bill to give public safety a life-saving spectrum infusion of 24 megahertz. Now, in the waning weeks of the 105th Congress, there is another important public-safety bill that needs resuscitating. Maybe you could help.
The E911 federal land antenna siting bill has been passed by the House Commerce Committee and awaits a floor vote.
Granted there are a limited number of legislative days left and lawmakers are somewhat distracted at the moment. Still, with enough political will, the E911 legislation can become a reality this year. It’s understandable that fighting mayors and county commissioners is not attractive as a member of the political party that espouses new federalism and devolution of power to the states.
But there are limits to what rights are reserved to states. The right to regulate siting of antennas on federal property (which enables a form of interstate commerce known as mobile phone service) is not one of them.
Eleventh-hour opposition of city and county lobbyists is indefensible. The E911 bill offers potentially millions of dollars in state grants for E911 system upgrades. What’s the problem with these folks? In two words, knee-jerk politics. If it involves antenna siting, it must mean federal pre-emption. It doesn’t. And if the bill is limited to federal land, it is probably a Trojan horse. It isn’t.
Some bills aid the human condition. This bill will save lives. Pass the bill sooner rather than later and you’ll save lives sooner rather than later.
Mr. McCain, you better than most, know about keeping the faith and the will to survive. Inject that life drive into the E911 bill.
