[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 48 (Thursday, March 25, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S3538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    OPEN-MARKET REORGANIZATION FOR THE BETTERMENT OF INTERNATIONAL 
                         TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT

 Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I rise to comment on the issue 
of international satellite reform. First I want to thank Senator Burns 
for holding this important hearing. International satellite reform is 
critical to consumers across the United States.
  Yesterday I agreed to become a cosponsor of this bill--along with 
Senators Burns, McCain, Bryan, Brownback, Cleland, Frist and Dorgan. I 
support Senator Burns' bill because I believe that it is in the 
consumer interest to have a private INTELSAT. Such a competitive entity 
will lead to lower prices, better service, and more efficiency across 
the globe.
  Additionally, removing ownership restrictions on COMSAT will help to 
bring new services to American consumers. I believe that broadband 
satellite services will play a very important role in West Virginia's 
future, and this bill will lead to further deployment of these services 
by lifting the ownership restriction on COMSAT. I am excited by the 
possibility of a new competitor in domestic satellite services, and the 
resulting advances in these satellite services. Our mountainous terrain 
and the high cost of providing traditional telecommunications services 
make satellite services particularly important to West Virginia.
  Furthermore, INTELSAT has a history of serving all parts of the world 
at reasonable prices. We have an interest in making sure that 
developing nations are part of the global information infrastructure. I 
will work to make sure that this bill will allow a privatized INTELSAT 
to continue to serve these areas at reasonable prices.
  I must state, however, that while I support this bill, we are still 
in the middle of the legislative process. I am eager to continue 
working with Senators Hollings, Breaux, and other Senators who are 
working on important ideas with great promise. I want to stress that 
while I agree that this bill is the right platform for international 
satellite reform, I intend to keep working hard on this issue.

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