[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 20 (Tuesday, March 1, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION DECISION ON CABLE RATE ROLLBACK

 Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, last week, the Federal 
Communications Commission [FCC], under its new Chairman, Reed Hundt, 
took several additional steps to enforce the 1992 Cable Act. While the 
final orders on these issues have not yet been released, I want to 
commend the FCC for its most recent decisions. The Commission, by a 
vote of 3 to 0, adopted several revisions to its rate regulation rules 
that will result in an additional reduction of many cable rates by an 
average of 7 percent. I believe this action is essential to restore the 
consumers' faith in the Congress and the Federal Government. The 
Commission's unanimous decision is a proper and necessary response to 
the complaints of consumers who saw their rates increase as a result of 
the first set of rules.
  In particular, I would like to recognize the cooperative spirit shown 
by Chairman Hundt's colleagues on the FCC, Commissioner James Quello 
and Commissioner Andrew Barrett. Their willingness to consider new rate 
rules in the wake of additional evidence is a testament to their 
objectivity and devotion to the public interest. I believe that the 
FCC's action last week was a fair and balanced decision that is 
precisely the kind of action that the authors of the Cable Act had in 
mind when we passed the legislation.

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