JEFF MERKLEY 
OREGON 
tinitrd ~tatcs ~cnatc 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
WASHINGTON, OC 20510 
April9, 2015 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, S.W. 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler1 
COMMITTEES: 
APPROPRIATIONS 
BANKING, HOUSING, 
AND URBAN AFFAIRS 
BUDGET 
ENVIRONMENT AND 
PUBLIC WORKS 
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APR 142015 
!FCC Mall Room 
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will soon be moving forward 
with the broadcast television incentive auction. I ask that the during this process, 
the FCC work to minimize the impact that spectrum repacking will have on 
television translators and low-power television stations that serve rural 
communities in Oregon and across the country. 
As you know, television translatprsand low-powertelevision stations are deployed 
across the country to help extend the reach of full-power television stations and 
provide over-the-air service to areas where it wouldn't exist otherwise. These 
stations are often owned and operated by local entities such as schools, churches, 
and small businesses that do not have the resources to re-tool their broadcast 
capabilities should it change when the spectrum is repackaged. 
These local stations provide critical services that many of my constituents, 
especially in rural parts of Oregon, rely on for entertainment, education, news, 
weather, and emergency situations. While the repacking process will inevitably 
lead to changes for translators and low-power television stations, the FCC should 
ensure that access to quality over-the-air television is preserved. 
313 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20510 
(202) 224-3753 
FAX (202) 228-3997 
Sincerely, 
JJh.AM~~ 
United States Senator. 
121 S.W. SALMON STREET 
SUITE 1400 
PORTLAND, OR 97204 
(503) 326-3386 
FAX(503)326-2900