E-Newsletter Sign-up Push internal push

Search A Bill internal push

Telecommunications

  • Throughout her time in Congress, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy has promoted efforts that bolster national technology and innovation.
  • In order to be able to compete in the global marketplace of the future, she believes that our nation must continue to invest heavily in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
  • We must be at the forefront of technology innovations – or we will find our country falling behind the rest of the world for years, if not decades.

 

Encouraging Responsible Use of Technology in Vehicles

With the advent of “smart” devices that provide access to e-mail, text messaging, the Internet and more, individuals are becoming increasingly reliant upon mobile technology in their everyday lives.  Unfortunately, as these devices continue to evolve and become more affordable, their inappropriate and unsafe use continues to grow as well.  In an effort to curb distracted driving, Rep. McCarthy introduced the ALERT Drivers Act last Congress which would establish minimum texting while driving standards that state legislatures would have to meet nationwide.  Much like the laws that established the legal age to consume alcohol and blood alcohol concentration limits for drivers, the bill would withhold a percentage of federal highway funding for those states that do not comply.  The Congresswoman plans on reintroducing the ALERT Drivers Act this Congress.

Rep. McCarthy’s leadership in this area has spurred increased attention to distracted driving, and she is committed to working with her colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass commonsense legislation to protect both driver and passenger protections.  Recognizing the importance of driver education in this process, she was also a proud supporter and cosponsor of the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act last Congress, which would mandate nationwide graduated driver licensing laws for novice drivers. 

Local and Minority Radio Rights

There have been great strides in the radio industry over the years – strides that have led to increasingly enhanced access and signal quality reaching Americans across the country.  With that being said, it is imperative that these strides not inhibit the diversity of programming available to listeners.  Local and minority broadcasters play an important role in our communities and have a dedicated niche for which they provide invaluable programming.  Rep. McCarthy is committed to protecting these broadcasters from harmful practices that threaten their existence.  Towards this end, she is a proud to cosponsor of H.Con.Res.21, the Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act, a concurrent resolution that would effectively prohibit Congress from levying a fee or tax on terrestrial radio stations for their playing artists’ music over the air.  The legislation ensures that small and minority owned stations in particular would not be subjected to overbearing fees that would threaten their solvency and endanger diversity over the airwaves.