atnngrenn nf tl1e Nniteh ~tate11 lWianqingtnn, mar 20515 The Honorable Tom Wheeler Chairman Federal Communications Commission 445 l21h Street, SW Washington, DC 20554 Dear Chairman Wheeler: October 12, 2016 Received & \nsoected ocT 17 zorn fCC M&ll Room We respectfully ask you to expedite the resolution of the waiver request by Butler-Bremer Communications, which has been pending before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) since May 12, 2015. Several years ago, Butler-Bremer, which serves approximately 1,600 customers in northeast Iowa, purchased the smaller Shell Rock Communications, which serves 682 customers. Currently, Shell Rock is operated separately with FCC regulated rates. However, in order to realize savings from the purchase, Butler-Bremer would merge the two study areas of the individual companies, which will have no impact on end-user customers. A waiver of certain FCC rules is necessary to do so. Butler-Bremer filed the necessary paperwork on May 12, 2015 regarding the waiver of these rules in order to consolidate business operations. To date, they have not received any indication of a timeline for approval or disapproval from the FCC or any further requests for information to assist the agency in making their determination. Unfortunately, these delays are costing a small business valuable resources and capital necessary for reinvestment and service improvements. Butler-Bremer has yet to realize any of the cost savings associated from the combination of operations and would like to do so as soon as possible in order to elect a funding path for universal service. Again, we request you expedite the resolution of the waiver request and inform Butler-Bremer Communications of a date for final determination. We thank you for your prompt time and attention to this matter and request you reach out to our offices if we can be of further assistance in expediting a resolution. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER 869 Charles E. Grassley U.S. Senator Member of Congress Sincerely, I Member of Congress