[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1312 Introduced in House (IH)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1312

  To impose a moratorium on increases in the rates charged for cable 
television service, to require the Federal Communications Commission to 
     conduct an inquiry into the causes of such increases and the 
          impediments to competition, and for other purposes.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 25, 1999

Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mrs. 
Thurman, Mr. Stark, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Weygand, Mr. Coyne, and Mr. George 
Miller of California) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                      to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To impose a moratorium on increases in the rates charged for cable 
television service, to require the Federal Communications Commission to 
     conduct an inquiry into the causes of such increases and the 
          impediments to competition, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Cable Rate Moratorium Act''.

SEC. 2. MORATORIUM REQUIRED.

      Within 10 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Federal Communications Commission shall by order prohibit any cable 
operator from imposing or collecting any increase in the rates for 
basic cable service or for cable programming services above the rate 
that is in effect for such service on March 1, 1999. Such order shall 
remain in effect until otherwise provided by Act of Congress enacted 
after the date of submission of the report required by section 3(b).

SEC. 3. INQUIRY AND REPORT.

    (a) Inquiry Required.--Within 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall commence an 
inquiry on the nationwide extent of and causes for increases in the 
rates for basic cable service and for cable programming services during 
the period from October 1, 1992, to March 1, 1999. Such study shall 
seek to identify the extent to which competition has succeeded or 
failed in restraining such rates, and the extent to which competition 
may be extended by Commission action.
    (b) Report Required.--Within 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall submit to the 
Congress a report on the results of the inquiry required by subsection 
(a). The report shall include--
            (1) a description of the nationwide extent of and causes 
        for increases in the rates for basic cable service and for 
        cable programming services during the period from October 1, 
        1992 to March 1, 1999;
            (2) an assessment of the extent to which competition has 
        succeeded or failed in restraining such rates;
            (3) an identification of the measures that the Commission 
        can and will take, pursuant to its existing statutory 
        authority, to increase such competition and to prevent and 
        eliminate unjust or unreasonable rates for basic cable service 
        and for cable programming services;
            (4) proposed legislative changes that the Commission 
        determines are required to enable the Commission to prevent and 
        eliminate unjust or unreasonable rates for basic cable service 
        and for cable programming services; and
            (5) such other findings and recommendations as the 
        Commission considers appropriate.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

    The terms used in this Act have the meanings provided in sections 
602 and 623 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 522, 543).
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