[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 954 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 954

          To assure competition in telecommunications markets.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 24, 1997

  Mr. Kerrey introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
          To assure competition in telecommunications markets.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Telecommunications Monopoly 
Prevention Act''.

SEC. 2. CONTRIBUTION TO COMPETITION.

    Any merger, takeover, or acquisition involving two or more large 
telecommunications companies shall not be approved by the Attorney 
General unless the Attorney General finds that such combination would 
significantly enhance competition in the telecommunications markets 
served by the companies involved in the transaction.

SEC. 3. POTENTIAL COMPETITION.

    In making a determination under this Act, the Attorney General 
shall fully consider the loss of potential competition should a 
combination covered by this Act be approved.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    Within 6 months from the date of enactment and each year 
thereafter, the Attorney General shall report to the Congress and the 
President on competition in markets where combinations of large 
telecommunications carriers have been approved since the enactment of 
the Telecommunications Act of 1996.

SEC. 5. DEFINITION.

    For the purposes of this Act, the term ``large telecommunications 
company'' shall include--
            (1) local exchange carriers serving more than 2 percent of 
        the Nation's subscriber lines installed in the aggregate 
        nationwide;
            (2) facilities based interexchange carriers serving more 
        than 10 percent of the long distance market nationwide;
            (3) provider of video services which provides service to 
        more than 1 percent of households nationwide;
            (4) a provider of Direct Broadcast Satellite Service; or
            (5) a provider of telecommunications services owned or 
        controlled by a foreign government.
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