[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 69 (Friday, May 9, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E915-E916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             WHERE ARE THE DETAILS OF NEW FCC REGULATIONS?

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE BARTON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, May 9, 2003

  Mr. BARTON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, more than 2 months ago Federal 
Communications Commission voted 3-2 on changes to the local telephone 
competition provisions of 1996 Telecommunications Act. This ``Triennial 
Review'' is required of this agency by the law we passed.
  There has got a better way to regulate our Nation's 
telecommunications industry right now it is in nothing but a tailspin. 
The FCCs recent Triennial Review ruling has had many unfortunate 
portions, and clearly cannot be what the Supreme Court was expecting 
when it remanded the FCCs earlier decision. They seem to allow some 
companies the ability to provide telephone and Internet services across 
the nation with minimal investment, and minimal technicians and 
employees.

[[Page E916]]

  Unfortunately, after 2 months, no one, including the FCC, has seen 
the final details of these new regulations.
  Mr. Speaker, how can regulators vote on provisions that they 
themselves have not seen? The internal turf battles within this agency 
go far beyond the walls of the Portals. While bureaucrats argue over 
how many angels can sit on the head of a pin, real people in this 
industry are being harmed.
  Since January 2000, over 600,000 jobs have been lost in the 
telecommunications industry, most due to a failed policy of former 
Chairman Reed Hundt who tried to create artificial local competition.
  Since the vote by the FCC on February 20th, many more jobs have been 
lost. Delay in issuing regulations by the FCC only continues this 
``meltdown'' of one of our premiere growth industries.
  I for one do not condone this bureaucratic delay and would hope that 
the FCC drastically changes its initial ruling from last February.

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