[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 30 (Thursday, March 16, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 376, OPEN-MARKET REORGANIZATION FOR THE 
           BETTERMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT

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                               speech of

                             HON. RON KLINK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 9, 2000

  Mr. KLINK. Mr. Speaker, I support the passage of the conference 
agreement on satellite communications reform. This is an important bill 
that will revise our laws to encourage more competition in the global 
satellite communication services market and deliver more choices to 
consumers. I strongly urge its adoption.
  The conference agreement eliminates antiquated statutory barriers 
that have prevented the purchase of COMSAT. I am very pleased that the 
conferees dropped the Level IV direct access rules which would have 
unfairly taken value away from COMSAT shareholders. It also repeals the 
ownership cap on COMSAT without conditions, rather than making it 
contingent upon unrelated events as the House bill would have. In 
addition, the bill sets forth an effective roadmap for INTELSAT and 
Inmarsat to transition from intergovernmental organizations to truly 
pro-competitive, privatized entities.
  I want to stress that while the bill gives the FCC authority to 
assess and evaluate INTELSAT's and Inmarsat's privatization efforts, 
nothing in this bill gives the FCC authority to control the business 
operations of these entities after they have attained a pro-competitive 
privatization. The bill will encourage the transition of INTELSAT and 
Inmarsat into normal, commercial entities so the global satellite 
market will be more competitive. Once privatization is achieved, 
INTELSAT and Inmarsat will be regulated by the FCC like any other 
business in the global satellite communications market.
  Again, I am pleased that we will finally pass a bill that will truly 
level the playing field in the satellite communications services 
market, and I commend the Conferees for producing such a good, 
bipartisan bill.

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