Date:         Sat, 13 May 2000 22:46:20 -0400
Reply-To:     Adam Puzerewski <puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Adam Puzerewski <puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Subject:      Re: Fw: HILL VOTES ON IP REGULATION TUESDAY: SOS
Comments: To: Bill Johnson <bjohns@dtx.net>

The guy who sent it to you got the info from someone else.  It is false.  We
get a paper from the Governor of West Virginia in our house, and a few
months back he discussed this supposed bill and the other supposed bill that
is going to charge for email.

The gist of the paper was that if people could spend their time spreading
bogus propaganda (that no doubt seems real until further checking with
actual government officials) imagine what people could do if they could
react in the same way to some of the real problems in the world.

Adam Puzerewski
81 westy
-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Johnson <bjohns@dtx.net>
To: Adam Puzerewski <puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
Date: Saturday, May 13, 2000 7:42 PM
Subject: Re: Re: Fw: HILL VOTES ON IP REGULATION TUESDAY: SOS


>Nope, I know the guy personally.. I have been on his email list for 3
>years..
>
>Bill
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Adam Puzerewski" <puzerewski@EMAIL.MSN.COM>
>To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Sent: Saturday, May 13, 2000 6:28 PM
>Subject: Re: Fw: HILL VOTES ON IP REGULATION TUESDAY: SOS
>
>
>This is all phony.  It is the stuff of Urban Legend.
>
>Adam Puzerewski
>81 westy
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Bill Johnson <bjohns@DTX.NET>
>To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>Date: Saturday, May 13, 2000 5:57 PM
>Subject: [VANAGON] Fw: HILL VOTES ON IP REGULATION TUESDAY: SOS
>
>
>>I received the following message from a pioneer of VON "voice on the
>>internet"  This guy (Jeff Pulver) is not an alarmist or a crackpot.  This
>>bill could affect your voice phone calls via the net. Pass this along
>>please and nip this in the bud.
>>
>>Bill
>>------------------Snip----------------------------------------------
>>Subject: SOS: HILL VOTES ON IP REGULATION TUESDAY: SOS
>>
>>
>>
>>SOS: HILL VOTES ON IP REGULATION TUESDAY: SOS
>>Need your Help to Keep Internet Telephony Regulation Free
>>
>>Hi There,
>>
>>The US House of Representatives is considering a bill
>>called "HR 1291" which, if passed, will set in motion
>>a cave-in to the US Bell Companies and open the door for
>>the FCC to regulate and impose access charges on
>>IP voice services.
>>
>>The floor vote for this bill is on Tuesday, May 16th.
>>There is still time to help stop HR 1291...but our time is short.
>>
>>On May 10, the House Commerce Committee took HR 1291, which was
>>written to prevent the FCC from imposing per-minute access charges
>>on ISPs, and turned it on its head by carving out an exception for
>>what it calls "Internet telephone" services.
>>The new version of the bill, which will be brought to the floor
>>for a vote Tuesday, May 16 allows the FCC to impose access
>>charges on Internet telephony "irrespective of the type of
>>customer premises equipment used in connection with such services" -
>>in other words, whether provided via phone, computer,
>>or some other device.
>>
>>If the bill passes, it signals the FCC and other International
>>regulators that IP voice services can and maybe should be
>>regulated like circuit-switched telephony.
>>
>>The bill is opposed by virtually every high tech and
>>Internet company and trade association.
>>
>>The Republican House leadership, Speaker Hastert,
>>Majority Leader Armey, and Majority Whip DeLay, say that
>>they are moving H.R. 1291 to show that they support the
>>Internet community and on many issues they do...but,
>>on this one, they are plowing forward despite being told by the
>>Internet community that this is not a pro-Internet bill.
>>
>>I urge you to call the switchboard of the Captial and leave
>>a message for your Representative that HR 1291 is a mistake.
>>The phone number for the the Capital Switchboard is:
>> +1.202.224.3121. Please also email your Representative
>>and the House Leadership with the message that HR 1291
>>is a mistake.
>>
>>The Internet should remain unregulated, with no exceptions
>>for voice applications and services.
>>
>>http://www.house.gov and http://www.house.gov/writerp will help
>>you locate the name and email address of your Representative.
>>
>>email for the House Leadership is:
>> Speaker Hastert: speaker@mail.house.gov.
>> House Commerce Committee Chairman
>>   - Tom Bliley: tom.bliley@mailhouse.gov
>> House Commerce Communications Subscommittee Chairman
>>   - Billy Tauzin: billy.tauzin@mailhouse.gov
>>
>>Please let them know that:
>>
>>- If they open the door to regulating any Internet service,
>>it will set a terrible precedent.
>>
>>- Using the Internet for voice communications is a good thing and
>>should not be regulated or taxed. Consumers will be hurt and
>>only the old monopoly telephone companies will benefit.
>>
>>- Internet voice services are used mostly by low income people
>>for international communications, as a substitute for vastly
>>inflated international long-distance calls.
>>
>>- Passing HR 1291 will create a new source of privacy concerns,
>>as companies pry apart traffic streams to determine what's "voice".
>>
>>Please feel free to forward this message to anybody you know
>>who might be affected in the event the Internet Telephony Industry
>>gets regulated. The industry needs everybody's help to STOP HR 1291!
>>
>>
>>Kind regards,
>>
>>Jeff
>
>