[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 21, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         REGULATORY CERTAINTY IN TELECOM MARKETPLACE IS A MUST

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                          HON. DARRELL E. ISSA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2003

  Mr. ISSA. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to talk about at an FCC decision 
that will have dire consequences for the telecommunications industry.
  In February, I submitted an op-ed to Roll Call for their annual 
Telecommunications and Technology issue prior to the FCC vote on the 
Section 251 Unbundling Obligations of Incumbent Local Exchange 
Carriers. In the article, I reserved hope that the FCC would render a 
decision that could provide regulatory certainty to a sector that is in 
desperate need of stability. If not, I stated that Congress should step 
in and remedy this issue.
  The FCC did not provide regulatory certainty when they voted, and 
three months later, they have yet to publish their decision. This 
decision, whatever it looks like in final form, will lead to 
litigation, assuring this issue will not be resolved for many years . . 
. unless Congress acts swiftly. Without regulatory certainty, the 
telecom industry, CLECs and ILECs alike, will continue to experience 
employee layoffs, cuts in capital expenditures, and little investment 
and growth.
  The FCC had an opportunity to ensure regulatory certainty in the 
telecom marketplace, but failed. Congress must provide this much needed 
certainty, and it must do it soon.

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