[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 20, 1999)]
[House]
[Page H10516]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    THE INTERNET--AVOIDING MONOPOLY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, at the very time that we need to increase 
competition in the delivery of Internet services, I am afraid that the 
unregulated nature of the Internet is in danger of being compromised.
  We talk about a new digital revolution. We talk about all the fruits 
that the Internet is bringing to us. But I am afraid that we are on a 
collision course between reregulation and this unregulated revolution 
that is doing so much good for so many people.
  The Internet is growing at a staggering pace, one that we could not 
have imagined when we passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This 
astonishing growth creates an urgent need for high-speed Internet 
capacity at both the regional and the local level so that all Americans 
can participate in this new digital economy. With each announcement of 
yet another telecommunications merger, or as we say telecom merger, I 
become increasingly concerned about the concentration in the Internet 
backbone market, a monopoly, a cartel. Today, the four largest backbone 
network providers control more than 85 percent of the Internet data 
traffic in this country, 85 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, probably as a result of this, we are already hearing 
calls for regulating the Internet. If we do not act now, an Internet 
cartel may emerge that can dictate price and availability to consumers. 
Mr. Speaker, this is a much more attractive and desirable alternative 
to reregulation. The rules should be changed to allow all 
telecommunications companies to compete in the market. It makes no 
sense to keep the five of the most capable competitors, the regional 
bell operating companies, from building regional backbone networks to 
deliver the fruits of the digital economy to many more Americans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues, all of my fellow Members to 
support competition in the Internet backbone market, and I encourage 
this body to act with the utmost speed. If we fail to act promptly, if 
we fail to assure competition, the alternative may sadly be the 
Internet regulation act of 2000.

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