House Energy & Commerce Chairman Returns To Independent Cable Forum
PITTSBURGH, February 23, 2018 – The American Cable Association is pleased to announce that U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, (R-Ore.), Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, will be a keynote speaker at ACA’s 25th Anniversary Summit on March 20-22 in Washington, D.C.
Rep. Walden represents Oregon’s Second Congressional District, which includes 20 counties in central, southern, and eastern Oregon and is the seventh largest district in the nation. Rep. Walden understands the challenges of serving rural America as his district is bigger than the land mass of every state east of the Mississippi River. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1998 and has been on the Energy and Commerce Committee since 2001.
“It is an honor to have Chairman Walden address our members during this Anniversary Summit,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said. “For nearly 20 years, ACA members have been privileged to work with an experienced legislator such as Chairman Walden to help deploy advanced communications services and broadband throughout our country.”
Rep. Walden is scheduled to speak Thursday, March 22, at 8:15 a.m.
“Rep. Walden’s leadership on infrastructure legislation will be pivotal during the current Congressional session. As operators of independent cable systems in rural America, ACA members represent a vital link to rural broadband,” Polka added.
Rep. Walden and his wife spent more than two decades in the communications business as radio station owners in rural Oregon. He put that small business and technology experience to work as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee and during his tenure leading the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
“As a former small businessman himself, Rep. Walden knows firsthand the unique challenges faced by ACA’s members to provide the best broadband service in smaller markets and rural areas,” said Polka.
The theme for this year’s ACA Summit is “Standing The Test Of Time,” a statement indicative of the endurance and dedication shown by independent operators over many years in creating a collective voice in Washington. Over the course of ACA’s history, the independent cable community always embraced the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln, who said, “Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.”
The ACA Summit website includes event details and secure online registration. Please visit the ACA Summit 2018 website by clicking here: ACA Summit.
The event will take place at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. This year’s Summit includes the annual “fly-in” to Washington with its members and, as such, will use the Twitter hashtag #Summit25 for all social media about the event. You can also track ACA Summit news on Twitter by following @ACASummit.
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 750 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 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 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/