[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 19, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H10187]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ENACT H.R. 2420, INTERNET FREEDOM AND BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT ACT OF 1999, 
                   AND ELIMINATE THE WORLD.WIDE.WAIT

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, broadband Internet access 
promises to revolutionize the way Americans live, play, and learn. 
However, only 2 percent of Americans have access to broadband 
communications.
  Today, consumers must settle for slow Internet access. Most of us 
have experienced the worldwide wait of too many consumers trying to get 
on and surf the Net at the same time through slow dial-up connections 
overloading the system.
  Is there anything Congress can do to clear the traffic jam? Yes. 
Congress can pass H.R. 2420, the Internet Freedom and Broadband 
Deployment Act of 1999. That will encourage companies to build out the 
Internet backbone and allow the benefits of broadband to flow freely to 
all consumers rather than the current trickle down to a lucky few.
  H.R. 2420 will remove the regulatory barriers erected by the FCC that 
are hindering the deployment of broadband services by the Bell 
companies. These companies should be encouraged, instead of 
discouraged, to invest in broadband services.
  This legislation already enjoys broad bipartisan support. I urge all 
of my colleagues to cosponsor H.R. 2420 today.

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