[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 127 (Wednesday, August 2, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H8181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    THE HOUSE NEEDS MORE TIME TO CONSIDER VITAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS 
                              LEGISLATION

  (Mr. HEFLEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Mr. HEFLEY. Mr. Speaker, tonight at about 9 p.m. we are going to 
begin consideration of the telecommunications bill. It is a very 
important piece of legislation. It affects everybody in the United 
States, and will for years to come. We have been working on this piece 
of legislation for at least 10 years, I am told, and yet somebody has 
decided it must be out before we leave here the first of August.
  This bill passed by an overwhelming majority when it came out of 
committee, a bipartisan majority, and has been taken and rewritten in a 
back room by a handful of people, and we are going to begin debate on 
it tonight. Usually when something this important is rushed through in 
the dark of night, it is because someone does not want us to know what 
the real ramifications are. This is no way to do the people's business.

                          ____________________