|
LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
| Address1 | 317 MASSACHUSETTS AVE., NE, SUITE 300C |
Address2 |
|
| City | WASHINGTON |
State | DC |
Zip Code | 20002 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
| City |
|
State |
|
Zip Code |
|
Country |
|
|
5. Senate ID# 293836-12
|
||||||||
|
6. House ID# 373580000
|
||||||||
| TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2013 |
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 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
| INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
|
|
||||||||
|
|
||||||||
| 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: DERRICK B. OWENS |
Date | 4/22/2013 3:36:04 PM |
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
Universal Service and Intercarrier Compensation -- WTA lobbied on the near-term and long-term effects the FCC's 2011 USF-ICC Transformation Order is having on rural telcos abilities to build communications networks in rural areas that are capable of delivering voice communications and broadband. Specifically, we have been discussing provisions contained within the FCC's 6th Order on Reconsideration. WTA also lobbied on the how the Order is affecting rural telco's abilities to repay their Dept. of Agriculture' Rural Utilities Service loans.
Through the Transformation Order, the FCC modified how USF funds are distributed; it has not addressed contributions reform, or the system by which all Americans contribute into the Universal Service Fund. WTA has been lobbying on the need to reform the contributions mechanism and the benefits associated with doing so.
Rural Call Completion -- WTA lobbied on the problems rural telecommunications carriers and the customers are experience as a result of originating carriers' call not being completed in rural areas. WTA lobbied for the FCC to act swiftly to address this national problem.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Agriculture - Dept of (USDA), Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
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 |
Derrick |
Owens |
|
|
|
Eric |
Keber |
|
|
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 COM
16. Specific lobbying issues
Access to Video Content and Retransmission Consent -- Most of the video laws and regulations are well out of date. In many instances, small rural telcos that provide some level of video programming are required to take, at a significantly marked-up price, unnecessary and unwanted programming that their customers do not want or need. WTA has been lobbing for updates to current video/retrans consent laws and regulations so that small rural telco providers get access to video content and programming at rates that are reasonable and comparable to those in larger markets.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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 |
Derrick |
Owens |
|
|
|
Eric |
Keber |
|
|
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 AGR
16. Specific lobbying issues
Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service (RUS) -- WTA lobbied in support of RUS's Telecom Loan and Broadband Loan Programs as these programs are ways in which small rural telecom carriers can get access to financing to build communications networks in rural areas.
WTA also lobbied on what effects the FCC's Transformation Order is having on small rural telcos' abilities to secure loan financing for network upgrades and expansion as well as on their abilities to repay their current RUS loans.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 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 |
Derrick |
Owens |
|
|
|
Eric |
Keber |
|
|
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
| Address | |
||||||
| City | |
State | |
Zip Code | |
Country | |
21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
| City | |
State | |
Zip Code | |
Country | |
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
|
|
||||||||
| 1 |
|
3 |
|
||||||
| 2 |
|
4 |
|
ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
| Name | Address |
Principal Place of Business (city and state or country) |
||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
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 | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
|
% | |||||||||||||
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 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 |