[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H2590]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AT&T PLAYS D.C. REGULATORY GAME

  (Mr. BONILLA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BONILLA. Mr. Speaker, I am very worried about one of the greatest 
assaults that is currently underway against America's 
telecommunications industry. We have seen some remarkable changes in 
the past 5 years with the growth of wireless technology and the 
Internet, but what about the future?
  Today we are not seeing America's telecom companies making 
investments in their products and services. We are not seeing companies 
hire new people and training them. We are not seeing healthy 
competition between companies. What we are seeing day after day in the 
telecom industry are attack ads from AT&T trying to stifle competition 
for their own benefit.
  These are very difficult times for American business. One would think 
that in this current environment, every major corporation would be 
focused on their people, their products and their future; but sadly you 
cannot open a newspaper, turn on a radio or watch television without 
being bombarded by these negative ads that are being run under disguise 
and being run by a bogus group called Voices for Choices.
  Why in the world would AT&T be running these millions of dollars in 
ads in Washington, D.C.? They do not promote any products, service, or 
any kind of private sector growth.
  My conclusion is that after seeing these ads that AT&T believes that 
their future relies on Washington and regulation. I hope the Chamber 
recognizes that these ads are just bogus and they are an attempt to 
play the D.C. regulatory game. This game is ruining the 
telecommunications industry. We must not be fooled by the tactics of 
those companies that feel that playing games is more important than 
focusing on legitimate business.

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