BRIAN HIGGINS 
26TH DISTRICT, NEW YORK 
2459 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20515 
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Chairman Thomas Wheeler 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, D.C. 20554 
Commissioner Michael 0 1Rielly 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, D.C. 20554 
Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel 
Federal Communications Commission 
44512th Street, SW 
Washington, D. C. 20554 
higgins.house.gov 
July 30, 2014 
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, D.C. 20554 
Commissioner Ajit Pai 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, D. C. 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler, Commissioners Clyburn, O'Rielly, Pai, and Rosenworcel: 
On December 18, 2013 the Federal Communications Commission issued a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (MB Docket No. 12-3) to eliminate the FCCs 40-year old sports blackout rule. The 
public comment period began January 24, 2014, and the 60 day comment period closed over 120 
days ago on March 25, 2014. 
The FCC has received hundreds of comments from elected officials, fans, economists, 
professional sports leagues, broadcasters, and cable and satellite TV providers. As we approach 
the start of the National Football League (NFL) season I urge the Commission to move forward 
and hold a vote on a final order eliminating the sports blackout rules. This item is not currently 
on the publicly posted August Commission meeting agenda, and so I request that the 
Commission add the item to the agenda for the August commission meeting, or at the latest, the 
September meeting. 
The NPRM recognizes the fact that the sports blackout rule is outdated, and is time to end this 
unfair and o1,1tdated policy once and for all. As the Commission noted "Changes in the sports 
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industry in the last four decades have called into question whether the sports blackout rules 
remain necessary to ensure the overall availability of sports programming to the general 
public." 
The Commission has looked the facts and made a preliminary recommendation. Now it must 
act. On behalf of my constituents and sports fans across the country I ask that you commit to 
bringing a final order to a vote at the August commission meeting. 
Thank you for your attention to this matter. 
BRIAN HIGGINS 
Member of Congress