[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 154 (Friday, September 29, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H9674]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SUPPORT INTEGRATING GUAM AND NORTHERN MARIANAS INTO NORTH AMERICAN 
                             NUMBERING PLAN

  (Mr. UNDERWOOD asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask my colleagues to 
join me in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission in support 
of integrating Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas 
Islands into the North American numbering plan and the domestic rate 
system.
  A Canadian telecommunications company has objected to the Guam 
request. The Canadians noted the significant possibility that due to 
their proximity to Asia, these islands could become telecommunications 
gateways to billions of potential Asian customers. In other words, the 
Canadians stand to lose business if the American Pacific territories 
are integrated into the domestic rate plan.
  What are the Canadians afraid of? Believe it or not, they are afraid 
of competition from American carriers on Guam. Since most of the 
telecommunications traffic from Asia is currently routed through 
Vancouver, removing this FCC regulation would mean that American 
carriers operating on Guam could compete in the Asian market. It's a 
win for American companies and for the American economy and for 
competition.
  You would think that the way Canada is reacting to this that Guam is 
challenging the Canadians for the Stanley Cup.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in cosigning a letter to the FCC in 
support of the petition to remove this regulation and in support of 
increasing American competitiveness in Asia.

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