roundtable: Markey pulled out of H.R. 1555 at last minute over deregulation issues

roundtable: Markey pulled out of H.R. 1555 at last minute over deregulation issues

Markey pulled out of H.R. 1555 at last minute over deregulation issues

W. Curtiss Priest (BMSLIB@mitvma.mit.edu)
Wed, 10 May 95 14:45:11 EDT 

Message-Id: <9505101851.AA18506@a.cni.org>
Date:         Wed, 10 May 95 14:45:11 EDT
From: "W. Curtiss Priest" <BMSLIB@mitvma.mit.edu>
Subject:      Markey pulled out of H.R. 1555 at last minute over deregulation issues
To: Telecommunications Policy Roundtable <ROUNDTABLE@CNI.ORG>


Yesterday's Inter@ctive Week provides the scoop on why Ed Markey's
name isn't on the bill.

"... ranking Telecommunications Subcommittee member Ed Markey (D-MA) 
pulled his support of the bill at the last minute, citing differences 
over cable deregulation issues and access to the information 
superhighway for all competitors." (p. 43, May 8, 1995)

"Cable companies would have only their so-called "basic tier" programming
regulated; all other premium services would be under a new deregulated
pricing regime.  That language is opposed by consumer groups, Markey and
the White House."  Each claims that unless all cable services remain
regulated, as mandated by the Cable Deregulation Act, consumers will lose
benefits of some $4 billion savings gained by that Act."

"The House will hold hearings on its bill this week.  Markey told
reporters that cable price issues will be key.  He said Democrats
are concerned about consumer protection "against rate gouging."  While
he is willing to work toward a consensus, Markey wants built-in
consumer protection."

______________________________________________________________________________
|           W. Curtiss Priest, Ph.D., Director       *********************** |
|      Center for Information, Technology, & Society *  Improving humanity * |
|                                                    *  through technology * |
|                  466 Pleasant Street               *********************** |
|                Melrose, MA  02176-4522         BMSLIB@MITVMA.MIT.EDU       |
|                  Voice: 617-662-4044  Gopher or WWW to our publications:   |
|   Fax: 617-662-6882      gopher.eff.org (under similar organizations, CITS |
| WWW: http://www.eff.org, under Documents & File Archives, under Gopher     |
_____________________________________________________________________________|

[CNI Home Page]