June 2, 2006
We need your assistance in support of an amendment that facilitates the reconstruction of billboards that were damaged or destroyed by last summer’s hurricanes. The amendment was adopted by the Senate last month as part of the supplemental appropriations act (H.R.4939). There is no comparable provision in the House version of that bill, so we are urging House conferees to support the Senate amendment. A copy of ANA’s letter can be viewed here.
The House conferees on H.R. 4939 are: Lewis (CA), Young (FL), Regula, Rogers (KY), Wolf, Kolbe, Walsh, Taylor (NC), Hobson, Bonilla, Knollenberg, Obey, Murtha, Sabo, Mollohan, Olver, Visclosky, Lowey and Edwards.
The Senate conferees on the bill are: Cochran, Stevens, Specter, Domenici, Bond, McConnell, Burns, Shelby, Gregg, Bennett, Craig, Hutchison, DeWine, Brownback, Allard, Byrd, Inouye, Leahy, Harkin, Mikulski, Reid, Kohl, Murray, Dorgan, Feinstein, Durbin, Johnson and Landrieu.
Billboard owners have experienced resistance in some areas to repairing or rebuilding signs that were damaged in last summer’s hurricanes. The Senate amendment does not change the federal Highway Beautification Act or authorize the construction of any new billboards. It simply clarifies the long-standing policy that states decide the standards for rebuilding storm-damaged signs.
Billboards are an important part of the marketing mix for many companies. The signs can play a critical role in rebuilding businesses and communities that have been ravaged by storms.
If your company uses billboards as a tool for reaching consumers, it would be very helpful if you could contact conferees, particularly House conferees, in support of the Senate amendment. The conference committee is expected to begin next week.
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact Dan Jaffe (djaffe@ana.net) or Keith Scarborough (kscarborough@ana.net) in ANA’s Washington, DC office at (202) 296-1883.