[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 19 (Tuesday, March 3, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E272]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     OPPOSING THE PLANNED MERGER OF MCI COMMUNICATIONS AND WORLDCOM

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CORRINE BROWN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 3, 1998

  Ms. BROWN of Florida. Mr. Speaker, on January 5, 1998, the Reverend 
Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition filed comments 
with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, 
opposing the planned merger of MCI Communications and WorldCom. The 
Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO (CWA) also opposed the 
merger, but this was not well covered by the mainstream media.
  It seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that the points which Reverend Jackson 
and the CWA have raised with the FCC deserve serious consideration and 
debate. At $48 billion, this will be the largest corporate merger in 
this Nation's history. It involves two companies which have 
historically opposed the right of their workers to organize and belong 
to labor unions. It also involves two companies which historically have 
limited their investment in many of our Nation's under-served 
communities.
  In February 1996, President Clinton called for the American 
telecommunications industry to expand its capital investment, to expand 
its hiring, and to expand its efforts to build a stronger, more 
connected America.
  Since then, MCI and WorldCom have channeled virtually all of their 
investment to serving business and upper income communities. They have 
made no investment in America's inner cities. In fact, when you look at 
the leadership of these two massive companies, Mr. Speaker, it reflects 
virtually none of today's rich American tapestry of diversity.
  Only one of 14 members of the MCI board of directors is not of 
European American descent, and WorldCom's board of directors is the 
only major telecommunications company in the U.S. whose board of 
directors is made up of only white men, with no race or gender 
diversity.
  Mr. Speaker, we all hear and read about how these giant corporate 
mergers are going to help, but how will they help issues of job 
creation and greater opportunities for All Americans?
  I would like to commend Reverend Jackson for addressing this 
important issue.

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