PITTSBURGH, February 24, 2014 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement on news that Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) will not seek re-election in 2014:
“The American Cable Association has nothing but the highest respect and admiration for Rep. John Dingell, who announced today that he will be ending his record-setting career in the U.S. House of Representatives, which he launched in 1955 when Dwight Eisenhower was President.
“Venerated for his mastery of parliamentary process and second to none on the issues, Rep. Dingell was instrumental in enacting some of the most significant laws since World War II, and he was without peer in terms of carrying out Congress’ responsibility of overseeing the other branches and independent agencies.
“As the longest-serving member in the history of the Congress, Rep. Dingell made as much history as he witnessed, and no one saw as much change in the telecommunications space as Rep. Dingell, whose career in office was bracketed by Sputnik and Spotify.
“Rep. Dingell is a legislative giant who defined what it means to serve the public interest. This ‘Man of the House’ is simply irreplaceable, and he will be missed by all.
“We look forward to continuing our work with Rep. Dingell this year as the House Energy & Commerce Committee completes its work on important matters, such as STELA reauthorization and review of the laws that govern broadband, video and voice services.”
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 850 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for more than 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/