"Parity Act" Language Removed from Defense Bill

The version of the National Defense Authorization Act passed earlier this year by the House of Representatives included language from the Amateur Radio Parity Act (HR 555), which would grant amateurs living in antenna-restricted communities limited rights to erect an outdoor antenna. However, the Senate version of the bill did not contain that language and, according to the ARRL, it was removed in the course of the "conference process" in which differences between Senate and House versions of a bill are resolved before both houses of Congress take a final vote and a bill is sent to the President. 

ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, who has been leading the League's efforts to get the parity act passed, said he was disappointed but noted that other options remain, either for passing the bill on its own or for including its language in other, larger, pieces of legislation.