Congressman Markwayne Mullin Visits Tower Site in Oklahoma Congressional District
For Immediate Release:
August 26. 2019
Congressman Markwayne Mullin Visits Tower Site in Oklahoma Congressional District
Event Highlights Prominent Role of Workforce and Infrastructure in America’s 5G Deployment Phase; Generates Momentum for Workforce Development Legislation
(Muskogee, Oklahoma) – U.S. Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) today conducted a site visit to a communications tower located in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The tour was facilitated by representatives from the NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, the Association’s Wireless Industry Network (WIN) and American Tower Corporation. The site visit was held at an American Tower-owned Self-Support cell tower site that is located in Congressman Mullin’s Congressional District.
Congressman Mullin represents Oklahoma’s 2nd Congressional District and is a member of the influential House Energy and Commerce Committee where he has championed important communications and workforce development legislation. The tour was designed to highlight the prominent role that telecommunications technicians and wireless infrastructure are playing in the country’s efforts to provide ubiquitous broadband coverage and ultimately win the global race to 5G. The event also provided a valuable platform to generate momentum for the bipartisan Communications Jobs Training Act of 2019 legislation that has been introduced in the 116th Congress by Congressman Mullin and Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-IA).
During the event, Mullin participated in a tour of the site and received information on the multi-carrier tenant network equipment that is installed on the tower. The Congressman also visited with the NATE and American Tower representatives present about the work that is conducted on a daily basis building, maintaining and deploying communications tower sites and related wireless infrastructure. Congressman Mullin was also provided with a unique opportunity to experience wearing a harness and the personal protective equipment gear that technicians utilize to carry out their jobs in a safe and efficient manner.
Also during the tour, NATE member company B+T Group conducted a drone flight demonstration for Congressman Mullin in order to highlight the enhanced role that unmanned aerial systems technology is playing at communication sites around the country.
“The Second District of Oklahoma is the only congressional district in the country where broadband is available to less than half the population,” Mullin said. “We must work to ensure rural areas are not stranded and that rural Americans are not left behind in the Internet economy. I appreciate NATE, WIN and American Tower Corporation facilitating the tour today so I could see firsthand the role wireless infrastructure plays in expanding broadband to the communities I serve.”
“It was an honor to host Congressman Mullin today at the Muskogee tower site,” stated NATE WIN Oklahoma Liaison Christy Hall from Texoma Contracting, Inc. “On behalf of NATE’s seven member companies in the 2nd Congressional District and twenty-nine member companies in the state of Oklahoma, we appreciate the leadership role Representative Mullin is playing in Congress to promote workforce development and support policies that serve to streamline industry regulations that our critical to help the United States maintain our position as the global leader in 5G,” added Hall.
“We appreciate the opportunity to host Congressman Mullin, along with representatives from NATE and WIN at one of our tower sites in Muskogee today,” said Bud Noel, Senior Vice President of Operations, U.S. Tower Division, American Tower. “As demand for better nationwide connectivity grows, we continue to work with our customers to support their transition to 5G and to partner with organizations such as NATE and WIN that are helping drive wireless industry development across the country. We thank the congressman for his work on this legislation.”
To view a collection of photos from Congressman Mullin’s Oklahoma tower site appearance, visit NATE’s Instagram, Twitter and Facebook pages. For more information on American Tower, visit https://www.americantower.com/. For more information on NATE, visit www.natehome.com.
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L to R: Jimmy Harbin (EasTex Tower, LLC, Congressman Markwayne Mullin and Randy Scott (Texoma Contracting, Inc.). |
Congressman Mullin tries on a harness. |
NATE WIN Oklahoma Liaison Christy Hall from Texoma Contracting, Inc. introduces Congressman Mullin at event. |
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Congressman Mullin visits with Michael Queenan from American Tower Corporation during the tower site tour. |
Congressman Mullin addresses event attendees. |
B+T Group conducts a tower site drone demo during the event. |
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| NATE Members and Event Participants Pose for a Photo with Congressman Mullin at Tower Site Event in Muskogee, Oklahoma. |
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About NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association
NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association is a non-profit trade association in the wireless infrastructure industry providing a unified voice for tower erection, service and maintenance companies. Today the Association boasts over 900 member companies located throughout the United States, Australia, Bahamas, Canada, China, Guam, Israel, Jamaica, Nigeria, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Trinidad, and the United Kingdom. For additional information on NATE, please visit www.natehome.com.
Contact: Todd Schlekeway
(605) 882-5685
