[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 10 (Wednesday, February 11, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPETITION

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                            HON. ALLEN BOYD

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 11, 1998

  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, while I was not a Member of Congress when the 
1996 Telecommunications Law was passed, it's easy to see that 
competitive business strategies from long distance companies and FCC's 
ever-changing interpretation of this legislation are responsible for 
telephone competition being stymied.
  I don't believe Congress anticipated major long distance companies 
concentrating on the more lucrative business customers while totally 
ignoring the local residential market. Congress also didn't foresee the 
FCC taking this law and changing it to the point where no Regional Bell 
Company has a chance of offering long distance service to their 
customers in the near future.
  On multiple occasions state utility commissions have submitted 
favorable recommendations to the FCC, stating the 14 point checklist 
has been met and that Regional Bell Holding Companies should be allowed 
into the long distance market. Each time the FCC has rejected the 
recommendation.
  It's time for the issue to get off the regulatory treadmill. We're 
long overdue for full scale telecommunications competition to begin.

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