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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
| Address1 | 400 Seventh Street, NW |
Address2 | Suite 406 |
| City | WASHINGTON |
State | DC |
Zip Code | 20004 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 293836-12
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6. House ID# 373580000
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| TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2018 |
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 |
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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. | ||||||||
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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 |
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| Signature | Digitally Signed By: DERRICK B. OWENS |
Date | 4/20/2018 11:59:46 AM |
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 Fund Reforms: WTA lobbied for fully funding the Universal Service Fund's High Cost Program, both the Alternative Connect America Fund Mechanism (ACAM) and modified Rate of Return mechanism and urged the FCC to direct the Universal Service Administrative Company to continue collecting the full budget for the High Cost program. WTA also lobbied for USF Contributions Reform to require those entities that should be paying into the system but are not to actually do so. WTA also lobbied in support of providing broadband incentives for large telecommunications providers to divest themselves of their most rural hard-to-serve areas -- this would enable further broadband deployment in rural areas. H.R. 3523 and S. 875 -- would require the Comptroller General of the US to conduct a study and submit a report on filing requirements under the Universal Service Fund programs.
H.R. 4986, Ray Baum's Act -- reauthorize the Federal Communications Commission
S. 96 and H.R. 460, Improving Rural Call Quality and Reliability Act -- seeks to ensure call to rural America are properly completed.
S. 604 Highway Rights-of-Way Permitting Efficiency Act of 2017 -- legislation would streamline the permitting process for broadband deployment on Federal land
H.R. 4824, Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act --legislation would expedite environmental reviews for broadband projects on existing rights of ways on federal lands.
Broadband Infrastructure -- Association lobbied in support of ensuring broadband infrastructure is included as part of the larger discussion about rebuilding the nation's infrastructure.
S.1676 & H.R. 4232, B-CROP Act -- would provide a broadband grant component to the Rural Utilities Services' Broadband Loan Program
H.R. 3787 -- Small Entity Regulatory Relief Opportunity Act (SERRO) -- directs the FCC to establish streamlined, cost-saying procedures for small to companies to obtain relief through case-by-case waivers of specific regulatory obligations and defers the imposition of new regulatory burdens on small companies for one-year after the regulations apply to larger entities.
H.R. 2425 -- Public Lands Telecommunications Act, directs Dept. of Treasury to establish separate special accounts for the National Parks Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and Forest Service for the deposit of rental fees received by the agencies for communications use on federal lands.
Lifeline -- Association lobbied in support of its Petition for Reconsideration which, among other things, expresses concerns with the FCC proposal to phase-out voice service under the program and the detrimental affect this would have on rural consumers; lobbied also on the Lifeline minimum service standards.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 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 |
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Eric |
Keber |
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William |
Durdach |
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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 COM
16. Specific lobbying issues
Lobbied to update the FCC's retransmission consent and broadcast rules which negatively affect rural telco providers and their customers. Also discussed the access to video content and video programming costs.
Discussed the FCC's new vide accessibility rules that take effect in 2018
Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) 3.0 standard -- Association lobbied to ensure newly proposed broadcast standard remains voluntary.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. SENATE, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 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 |
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Eric |
Keber |
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William |
Durdach |
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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
H.R. 2870 and S. 1013, Gigabit Opportunity Act -- would provide beneficial tax treatment for broadband deployment in areas deemed "Gigabit Opportunity Zones".
Lobbied in support of providing tax incentives for larger telcos to divest themselves of their most rural hard-to-serve areas, which aren't being served with broadband, and to make those areas available to small telcos that can serve those areas -- this would help with broadband deployment further into the hard to serve rural areas.
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 |
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Eric |
Keber |
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William |
Durdach |
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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 SMB
16. Specific lobbying issues
H.R. 3787, Small Entity Regulatory Relief Opportunity -- requires FCC to provide streamlined filing method for a small entity seeking regulatory relief and expedited consideration and resolution of such petitions.
H.R. 4824, Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act -- provided expedited environmental reviews for broadband projects on existing rights-of-way on federal lands.
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 |
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Eric |
Keber |
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William |
Durdach |
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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 | 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 | ||||||||||
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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 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 |