Reps. Latta, Welch to Address ACA Summit

Reps. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.), members of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, are the latest additions to the American Cable Association's Washington Summit lineup.

The legislators, who are well versed in rural telecom issues, will address the small and medium-sized telecom members March 4. The committee is in the midst of a planned rewrite of communications law.

"ACA is delighted that Reps. Latta and Welch will join us for an informative bipartisan overview of the key issues on Capitol Hill that ACA members care about,” said ACA President Matt Polka in announcing the new speakers. “I know ACA members will benefit from this session because Reps. Latta and Welch know the formula for unlocking innovation and driving investment in broadband technology in small and mid-sized markets with unique economic characteristics.”

Polka will quiz the pair on their decision to form the the E&C rural telecom working group, as well as "their interest in bipartisan telecom policy outcomes and what they hope to achieve in new and updated communications laws."

The summit is being held March 3-5 and has already lined up Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), chairman of the House Communications Subcommittee, who will speak March 4. (http://www.multichannel.com/news/policy/rep-walden-speak-aca-summit/387143).

ACA's annual summit is an opportunity for the 800-plus smaller and midsized operators that the association represents to get together to talk policy strategy and speak to regulators and legislators individually, but with one voice, about their key issues.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.