[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6513]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




               OPPOSING THE FCC DECISION ON DEREGULATION

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 18, 2003

  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, in the final 
analysis, America's national security depends heavily on America's 
economic security--and, especially critical to our economic growth and 
prosperity in the future is our telecommunications industry.
  Telecommunications is very important to my own state of Florida. More 
than 80,000 Floridians work in telecommunications. Thousands more 
depend on the industry to maintain their pensions, their retirement 
savings--to generate the additional income they need to continue as 
active, contributing members of society.
  What hurts the American telecommunications sector, in other words, 
often generates problems which can only ripple throughout our economy, 
affecting our national goals and values.
  And, that's why I was so disappointed by the decision announced by 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) members on February 20--that 
they had no intention to remove existing restrictions placed on local 
phone companies nearly seven years ago, restrictions which the chairman 
of the Energy & Commerce Committee, Mr. Tauzin, and the Ranking 
Democrat, Mr. Dingell, both agree are discouraging new communications 
investment and new jobs creation.
  The best prescription for economic growth and for producing good jobs 
with a future--for every American who wants to work--is a strong and 
growing economy. One does not foster investment and jobs creating by 
perpetuating unneeded regulations and deliberately discouraging new 
investment, especially new investment.
  Congress needs to send the FCC majority a message that when it comes 
to jobs creation, when it comes to spurring new investment, when it 
comes to stimulating the broader availability of advanced 
communications, Congress expects the FCC to vote ``yes.''
  This country can't afford--and, the American people don't deserve--
the kind of anti-investment, anti-jobs policies that the FCC has 
displayed through their ruling against local phone company 
deregulation.

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