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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
Address1 | 4121 WILSON BOULEVARD |
Address2 | TENTH FLOOR |
City | ARLINGTON |
State | VA |
Zip Code | 22203 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 28674-12
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6. House ID# 310600000
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TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2008 |
Q1 (1/1 - 3/31) | Q2 (4/1 - 6/30) | Q3 (7/1 - 9/30) | Q4 (10/1 - 12/31) |
9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report
10. Check if this is a Termination Report | Termination Date | |
11. No Lobbying Issue Activity |
INCOME OR EXPENSES - YOU MUST complete either Line 12 or Line 13 | |||||||||
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12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
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Provide a good faith estimate, rounded to the nearest $10,000, of all lobbying related income for the client (including all payments to the registrant by any other entity for lobbying activities on behalf of the client). | 14. REPORTING Check box to indicate expense accounting method. See instructions for description of options. | ||||||||
Method A.
Reporting amounts using LDA definitions only
Method B. Reporting amounts under section 6033(b)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code Method C. Reporting amounts under section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code |
Signature | Digitally Signed By: Tom Wacker, Vice President, Government Affairs |
Date | 04/18/2008 |
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code BUD
16. Specific lobbying issues
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.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Labor - Dept of (DOL), Health & Human Services - Dept of (HHS)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Tom |
Wacker |
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Tammie |
Logan |
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Adam |
Healy |
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Joseph |
Eaves |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code ECN
16. Specific lobbying issues
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.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Tom |
Wacker |
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Tammie |
Logan |
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Adam |
Healy |
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Joseph |
Eaves |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code INS
16. Specific lobbying issues
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.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Health & Human Services - Dept of (HHS), Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Tom |
Wacker |
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Tammie |
Logan |
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Adam |
Healy |
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Joseph |
Eaves |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code RET
16. Specific lobbying issues
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.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Labor - Dept of (DOL)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Tom |
Wacker |
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Tammie |
Logan |
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Adam |
Healy |
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Joseph |
Eaves |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TAX
16. Specific lobbying issues
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.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Tom |
Wacker |
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Tammie |
Logan |
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Adam |
Healy |
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Joseph |
Eaves |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code TEC
16. Specific lobbying issues
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.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Executive Office of the President (EOP), Natl Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Tom |
Wacker |
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Tammie |
Logan |
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Adam |
Healy |
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Joseph |
Eaves |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.
20. Client new address
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21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
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22. New General description of client’s business or activities
LOBBYIST UPDATE
23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client
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ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
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Principal Place of Business (city and state or country) |
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26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
1 | 3 | 5 |
2 | 4 | 6 |
FOREIGN ENTITIES
27. Add the following foreign entities:
Name | Address |
Principal place of business (city and state or country) |
Amount of contribution for lobbying activities | Ownership percentage in client | ||||||||||
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28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization
1 | 5 | 9 |
2 | 6 | 10 |
3 | 7 | 11 |
4 | 8 | 12 |