[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 14 (Tuesday, February 15, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E139]]



                     TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. RICK LAZIO

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 15, 2000

  Mr. LAZIO. Mr. Speaker, it has been four years since the Congress 
passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to open local markets to 
competition. While many of us hoped competition would not take this 
long, it is now beginning to take root. Since passage of the Act, over 
$30 billion has been invested by CLECs alone in new networks and there 
are more than 300 facilities based competitors now versus only 30 in 
1995.
  The ILECs have also invested tremendously since passage of the Act. 
Just last month, the FCC approved Bell Atlantic's application to offer 
long distance service in New York State. This was a landmark decision. 
I want to congratulate Bell Atlantic for doing what was necessary to 
open its local markets. The consumers of New York State are the 
winners. We are already seeing new choices in services and for the 
first time, competitive choices in local service. Mr. Speaker, the Act 
is working and it has worked first in New York State.
  I want to congratulate many people for the work that they did to give 
consumers in New York State a choice in local service. First, I want to 
congratulate the New York Commission that tirelessly worked with all 
the concerned parties to make sure that the process and the outcome was 
fair. This process allowed all parties to work through the technical 
challenges of opening up the local network. Second, I want to 
congratulate Competitive Local Exchange Carriers that went into New 
York State a year ago and began offering local residential service on a 
statewide basis.
  Mr. Speaker we are in the beginning of a technology revolution that 
is sweeping across this country. Since the 1996 Telecom Act, hundreds 
of new competitive telecommunications carriers have been formed and 
thousands of new Internet Service Providers are in existence today. The 
Telecommunications Act of 1996 is a great success and consumers are 
just now beginning to reap its benefits. I'm proud that New York has 
led the way, and I look forward to the day when the rest of this 
country's citizens enjoy the same freedom of choice.

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