Low Power FM Leadership Days
Posted by Jenny L. on March 7, 2008 around 10am
CHIRP President Shawn Campbell and I recently participated in Low Power FM Leadership Days, organized by the Promethus Radio Project. We traveled to Washington, DC and spent two days on Capitol Hill. The first day was spent meeting with other LPFM advocates from around the country and exchanging ideas and experiences with groups as varied as music fans from Radio Free Nashville to Pascua Yaqui Tribe leaders who run a LPFM station on their reservation. We were energized and inspired by their struggles and successes, and hope to continue the friendships we started that day. The second day, the group spent the morning at the Federal Communications Commission, meeting with FCC staff about the challenges of LPFM radio. That afternoon, the group broke into individual delegations, and Shawn and I had meetings with staffers from the offices of Senator Durbin, Senator Obama, Representative Schakowsky, Representative Emanuel and Representative Lipinski. At the meetings, we presented letters from CHIRP members and supporters. Representative Jan Schakowsky has been a co-sponsor of the bill, so we wanted to thank her personally for her support. At our meetings with Sen. Durbin, Sen. Obama, Rep. Emanuel and Rep. Lipinski, we asked that they all co-sponsor the bill and help us bring it to the floor. Just a few days later, we recieved word that Senator Durbin has officially signed on as a co-sponsor, and just a few days later, that Senator Obama also signed on as a co-sponsor! Senator Durbin’s staff specifically told us that letters from CHIRP members helped make a difference, so thank you to everyone who wrote a letter and helped have a hand in this success! Illinois is one of only two states where both Senators are co-sponsors, so we are thankful for everyone who helped make this happen!
Jenny Lizak
Vice President, CHIRP
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