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From: Defend Your Voice

ACTION ALERT - UPDATE ON H.5252 COPE ACT
House Rules Committee Sticks It To US!
We got hosed!

Its bad enough that the House Rules Committee did not allow the Baldwin/Wilson "Do No Harm" Amendment to even be presented on the House Floor for a vote, but to add insult to injury they did allow an Amendment by Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas which, if passed, cuts PEG/I-Net funding from 1% to 0.5% if the video provider is a minority or woman owned business.

Its a heck of democracy we have going theses days when 8 congressman can prevent the U.S. House of Representatives from even debating or voting on an amendment to a bill!

One of the last bastions of public participation in this meat packing plant we call democracy is PEG Access Television and guess what folks, where about to take a high hard one to the head if you and I mean YOU don't make a call today to your congressional representative.

The message is once again simple:

Vote NO on the Jackson-Lee amendment to cut funding for PEG Access and I-Nets. This amendment would further cut the already too small amount of funding providing for Public, Education & Government Access Television. It needs to be opposed.

and

Vote NO on H.5252 the COPE Act. This bill would cause Community Media Centers like Media Bridges across the country to close their doors. Media Bridges itself will lose 1/3 of its funding and may close as well. Citizens will lose their voice, communities will lose the last thread of localism in television and the effect on cities in terms of franchise fees, economic impact and job loss will be devastating.

CALL NOW The debate could begin as early as 10am this morning!

Tom Bishop - Media Bridges