[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 36 (Thursday, March 26, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H1557]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEREGULATION

  (Mr. DeFAZIO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Mr. Speaker, just 3 years ago the Republican leaders and 
the Clinton administration touted all the benefits that would flow from 
telecommunications deregulation. Cable would compete with phone, phone 
with cable, lower rates, better service, new technology. Three years' 
experience has shown those promises to be hollow.
  There is no competition between phone and cable. Cable rates have 
skyrocketed, local phone rates are going up, service has deteriorated. 
Then we get all those evening phone calls. This is not a consumer-
friendly bill. But, all in all, it has delivered a golden egg for Wall 
Street and a few companies and a goose egg for Main Street consumers 
and small business.
  Now the Clinton administration and the Republican leaders want to 
rush to deregulate our electric power. Lower rates, new technology, 
more competition. We have heard it before. Wall Street and a number of 
large energy companies are just slathering over the products. The 
results for consumers and small business will be the same as 
telecommunications, evening phone calls, higher rates, worse service.

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