[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 95 (Monday, June 12, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8127-S8128]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, I would like to use this time to rise in 
support of the telecommunications bill, the bill we have talked about 
last week and will continue on this week; hopefully to finish the bill 
early this week. I know we have talked about it a great deal. Last year 
there was considerable discussion.
  It seems to me it comes along at a time when it is responding to what 
the American people said in 1994, and that is we ought to move away, 
have less Government, less regulation, and let the marketplace 
function. That is what this bill is designed to do. It seeks to remove 
some artificial governmental regulations, regulations that go beyond 
simply providing for fair competition. I think we want to move in that 
direction.
  Times have changed a great deal. As some of my experience back with 
the Rural Electric Association showed, seeking to bring electricity to 
areas where there was relatively low density and where there were few 
people living, no one in the competitive business was really interested 
in serving those areas [[Page S8128]] that were very low in revenue. 
Hence, the cooperative effort of the rural electrics.
  I think cooperation is necessary and will be here in the area of 
universal coverage. We need to provide with certainty that there will 
be telephone communications, and that is part of this bill. At the same 
time, we need to open it to full access in competition. So many things 
are happening, so many things are changing, so many things that will 
bring to a State like mine the opportunity to have all kinds of 
communications, indeed to conduct the kinds of businesses in Wyoming 
that you could not conduct without entry to an information network, 
without the kinds of things that will be provided here.
  This bill is designed to remove restrictions on competition. I think 
that is what it should be all about. It is designed to create 
opportunities for investment and growth, not only in the communications 
system in this country but certainly global communications.
  I do not want to take a great deal of time but I do rise in support 
of that concept. I think this bill does the things it is designed to 
do. I know there are differences of view. That is as it should be. 
There are great debates in this place. They are designed to show there 
is more than one alternative, otherwise there would not be a great 
debate. I am one who thinks, if we can set forth here the conditions 
that ought to be met in the case of local telephones before they 
expand, and long distance into the local, that is the way we ought to 
do it, and keep the substantive judgments of the Department of Justice 
at a minimum. The authority lies there, of course, to move in when 
there are unfair trade practices. That is as it should be.
  So the result we look for, of course, is lower prices. We look for 
expanded options. We look for 1.5 to 3 million high-technology jobs 
that will be developed, and more exports. So this is a good step.
  I look forward to supporting the bill. I look forward to the Senate 
completing its work this week so we can move on, then, to some of the 
other features.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from South Dakota.

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