[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 129 (Friday, August 4, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1628]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1995

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                               speech of

                          HON. CARDISS COLLINS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 2, 1995

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 1555) to 
     promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure 
     lower prices and higher quality services for American 
     telecommunications consumers and encourage the rapid 
     deployment of new telecommunications technologies:

  Mrs. COLLINS of Illinois. Mr. Chairman, last night we voted on a rule 
on the bill H.R. 1555. I voted against it in strong opposition to the 
back room deals cut outside the committee process which have resulted 
in significant changes to H.R. 1555, and in strong opposition to the 
GOP leadership's attempts to ram this anti-consumer, pro-special 
interest bill through the House before the August recess. It has become 
typical procedure for this Republican-led Congress to pass hastily 
conceived, big business give aways in the dark of night at the 11th 
hour and H.R. 1555 is no exception.
  Reform of our Nation's outdated telecommunications laws is an 
important and necessary endeavor. Last year this body overwhelmingly 
passed, and I supported, legislation that, while not flawless, 
certainly would have helped pave the roads of the information 
superhighway with increased competition and assisted in promoting 
greater economic opportunities for more Americans as we head into the 
21st Century. However, this year's efforts have fallen far short of 
such a goal, with our constituents getting a raw deal.
  In short, H.R. 1555 will deregulate cable companies prior to true 
competition in these markets. The consumers will pay in the form of 
higher rates for the most popular services. H.R. 1555 will also allow a 
single broadcast owner to gobble up enough television stations to 
control programming for half the Nation as well as giving the OK for 
one company to corner the newspaper, broadcast cable market in any 
community. Again, the consumers will pay in the form of monopoly 
pricing, limited local programming, and diversity of views. Finally, 
H.R. 1555 would allow phone companies to buy out cable companies in 
smaller service areas across the Nation. Once more, the consumers will 
pick up the tab.
  While a certain select few amendments will be made in order under 
this rule that seek to temper some of these drastic provisions, I do 
not believe they will be enough to bring proper balance to this 
legislation. In addition, despite the 38 to 5 vote in the Commerce 
Committee to report H.R. 1555 to the House, the chairman decided to 
make a number of revisions to the telephone regulation title of the 
bill after meeting in secret with multi-million dollar executives. No 
matter what you think of these proposed changes, we should all agree 
that this is not the manner in which business should be conducted in 
the people's House--or has this body been renamed the house of 
corporate representatives, inc.?
  Mr. Speaker, consideration of this bill began months ago when Speaker 
Gingrich and his GOP colleagues held closed door powwows with major 
telecommunications CEO's, yet didn't think it necessary to speak with 
consumer groups and other citizen advocates to get their input. 
Surprise, surprise.
  This is a bad rule and I regret that we did not go back to the 
drafting table and craft a telecommunications reform package that puts 
the public interest before the Gingrich Republican special interests.


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