Hundreds Of ACA Members Expected In Audience
PITTSBURGH, February 4, 2015 – The American Cable Association is pleased to announce that Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.), a Capitol Hill leader on telecommunications policy for more than two decades, will address ACA members gathering in Washington, D.C., on March 1-3 for the trade group’s 23rd annual policy summit.
“We greatly appreciate that Rep. Doyle will be joining us at this year’s Summit. Over the years, Rep. Doyle has stood out as a policy leader with vision and awareness of the unique concerns of the independent cable community, whether the issue is broadband regulation, retransmission consent reform, or media consolidation,” ACA President and CEO Matthew M. Polka said.
The ACA Summit connects small and mid-sized cable operators serving hometown America with the country’s leading lawmakers and regulators as well as media representatives who track communications policy in our nation’s capital. This year’s Summit coincides with important changes occurring in the regulatory arena managed by Congress and the Federal Communications Commission.
Rep. Doyle is serving his eleventh term in Congress representing the 14th District of Pennsylvania, which includes the city of Pittsburgh and neighboring communities. His legislative priorities include revitalizing communities in the 14th District through economic development, high-tech initiatives, and job creation.
Rep. Doyle serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the panel’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, which has jurisdiction over the FCC as well as cable operators, broadcasters, phone companies, wireless providers and the Internet.
In overseeing policymaking at the FCC, Rep. Doyle has closely monitored the agency’s decision to investigate the special access market and adopt rules related to the copper-IP transition and the expansion of the Lifeline program to include broadband.
Previously confirmed ACA Summit speakers include Rep. Mike Pompeo, a third-term Republican Congressman from the 4th District in Kansas who serves with Rep. Doyle on the House Communications Subcommittee; and Gene Kimmelman, President and CEO of Public Knowledge, a public interest group in Washington, D.C., that promotes freedom of expression, an open Internet, and access to affordable communications tools and creative works.
The ACA Summit highlights the unique role played by nearly 750 independent cable operators in providing best-in-class communications services to millions of consumers living and working in some of the most remote areas of the country. Responding to the critical broadband infrastructure needs of rural America, ACA Members put their own capital at risk to supply the solutions.
Created as ACA emerged as a lobbying force in Washington, D.C., the ACA Summit gives independent cable operators a vehicle for framing the issues in their own words during dozens of meetings on Capitol Hill. Over the three-day event, ACA Members speak with one voice in making their views known on the diverse and complex issues they face on a daily basis.
ACA Members know they “Hold The Key To Reform!” – the theme of ACA Summit 2016 — just as they know that success will require persistence and determination in overcoming entrenched interests that keep a tight grip on their regulatory advantages.
The ACA Summit website includes event details and secure online registration. Please visit the ACA Summit 2016 website by clicking here: ACA Summit. The event will take place at the Grand Hyatt, 1000 H Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001.
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing nearly 800 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’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/