roundtable: TELECOM BILL: Clinton Opposes Key Provisions

roundtable: TELECOM BILL: Clinton Opposes Key Provisions

TELECOM BILL: Clinton Opposes Key Provisions

Anthony E. Wright (aewright@cme.org)
Mon, 30 Oct 1995 18:06:35 -0400 

Message-Id: <v02120d03acbabb1ae15b@[205.197.91.5]>
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 1995 18:06:35 -0400
To: roundtable@cni.org, telecomreg@relay.doit.wisc.edu
From: aewright@cme.org (Anthony E. Wright)
Subject: TELECOM BILL: Clinton Opposes Key Provisions


10/30/95: CLINTON REITERATES OPPOSITION TO KEY PORTIONS OF TELECOM BILL

Last Thursday, President Clinton re-stated his concerns about the
Telecommunications Bill (S. 652, H.R. 1555) in a letter to Senator Hollings
(D-SC). (Full text below.) Saturday's New York Times quoted Joseph
Stiglitz, chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, as saying
that he would recommend that Clinton veto the bill if major changes are not
made to the bill, which is now in conference committee.

Clinton singled out four major problems with the telecommunications bills:

* TOO FEW COMPETITION SAFEGUARDS: The bills lack a Department of Justice
role "in safeguarding competition before local telephone companies enter
new markets."

* ALLOWS INCREASED MEDIA CONCENTRATION: "The bills allow too much
concentration within the mass media and in individual markets, which could
reduce the diversity of news and information available to the public."

* STIFLES COMPETITION BY ALLOWING CABLE-TELCO MERGERS: The bills'
"provisions allowing mergers of cable and telephone companies are overly
broad."

* DEREGULATES MONOPOLY CABLE RATES: The bills deregulate "cable programming
services and equipment rates before cable operators face real competition."

Clinton also stated that he still mindful of other concerns he has
mentioned in previous statements.

--

October 26, 1995

Dear Fritz:

I enjoyed our telephone conversation today regarding the upcoming
conference on the telecommunications reform bill and would like to
follow-up on your request regarding the specific issues of concern to me in
the proposed legislation.

As I said in our discussion, I am committed to promoting competition and
diversity in every aspect of the telecommunications and information
industries. I believe that the legislation should protect and promote
diversity of ownership and opinions in the mass media, should protect
consumers from unjustified rate increases for cable and telephone services,
and, in particular, should include a test specifically designed to ensure
that the Bell companies entering into long distance markets will not impede
competition.

Earlier this year, my Administration provided comments on S. 652 and H.R.
1555 as passed. I remain concerned that neither bill provides a meaningful
role for the Department of Justice in safeguarding competition before local
telephone companies enter new markets. I continue to be concened that the
bills allow too much concentration within the mass media and in individual
markets, which could reduce the diversity of news and information available
to the public. I also believe that the provisions allowing mergers of cable
anbd telephone companies are overly broad. In addition, I oppose
deregulating cable programming services and equiptment rates before cable
opertaors face real compeititon. I remain committed, as well, to the other
concerns contained in those earlier statements on the two bills.

I applaud the Senate and the House for including provisions requiring all
new televisions to contain technology that will allow parents to block out
programs with violent or objectionable content. I strongly support
retention in the final bill of the Snowe-Rockefeller provision that will
ensure that schools, libraries and hospitals have access to advanced
telecommunications services.

I look forward to working with you and your colleagues during the
conference to produce legislation that effectively addresses these
concerns.

Sincerely

Bill Clinton


The Honorable Ernest F. Hollings
Ranking Member
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
United States Senate
Washington, DC  20510

--

For more information, and how to help stop the anti-consumer,
anti-democratic, anti-Internet telecommunications bill, check out
our Web site (http://www.access.digex.net/~cme/bill.html) or
send mail to our automailer, bill@cme.org.


--
Anthony E. Wright                       aewright@cme.org
Coordinator, Future of Media Project    Center for Media Education

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