[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 11 (Friday, January 26, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S538-S539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TELECOM CONFERENCE REPORT

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, let me indicate that we hope to have a 
conference report on the telecom bill by 

[[Page S539]]
Thursday. It is a very important bill. It ought to be completed. We are 
working on a number of issues including the spectrum issue which I feel 
strongly about. If you noted--in fact, I will place it in the Record--
today the spectrum sale which was estimated by the CBO to bring between 
$20 million and $100 million brought $682 million.
  So as we look at ways to reduce the deficit, let us not start a big 
giveaway program to some of the broadcasters in America who can afford 
to pay for it. I know they are not very happy. I know they are not very 
happy with me. But all I ask them is when they make their statements 
and their criticisms, they use the facts.
  I see a lot of things on the networks about things that happen in 
Congress and how we waste money and all the things that Members of 
Congress do, but I have not seen a single story except for CNN on the 
spectrum on any of the major networks, on how much it means to them, 
how many billions of dollars it means to them--free. So I would just 
hope in their objective reporting as they cover us in the Congress and 
as they cover other events across America they might at least devote 
maybe one or two minutes to what the spectrum is all about so the 
American people understand it is not what they say it is about; it is 
about real money.
  The late Senator Dirksen used to say, ``$1 billion here and $1 
billion there soon adds up to real money.'' This is real money, and at 
the time we are reducing welfare programs and other programs that 
affect poor people, I hope that those who could afford to pay would be 
happy to do so--or I would say at least would do so. And we hope we can 
work that out.

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