Telecom Legislative Effort Opens WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1995 JAN 12 (NB) -- The Herculean task rewriting the nation's telecommunications law, an effort that failed in the 103rd Congress, has begun in Washington. The Senate Commerce Committee opened the action this week with a hearing on general concepts of communications reform. The last time Congress successfully addressed the communications needs of the nation was 50 years ago, with the 1934 Communications Act. The new Republican Congress is expected to support deregulation and competition in the provision of telecommunications services. But so do most Democrats, and the devil will be in the legislative details, as the various forces in the marketplace seek to use legislative language to secure competitive advantages. Sen. Larry Pressler (R-SD), chairman of the committee, predicted that his panel will report a bill by July 4. Rep. Jack Fields (R-Texas), who heads the House telecommunications subcommittee, said his group will approve a bill by Easter. But neither legislator has yet to introduce a bill, so experts are unable to predict where the inevitable fights will occur and on whose turf. "Let's pick a starting date -- January 1, 1996 or 1997 -- and say, 'Gentleman, start your engines. We're going to have a race and let the best man win,'" said Sen. Bob Packwood (R-Ore.) at the hearing. As the opening bell was ringing in the Senate, Vice President Al Gore was trying to gin up support for the administration's views on telecommunications at a meeting of state regulators and local government officials. "Competition in the information marketplace will provide Americans with lower prices for their telephones, cable and information goods and services and give them more and better choices," Gore said. The White House estimates that competition in telecommunications will also create 1.4 million new jobs over the next 10 years. The contending forces were also getting organized. The seven regional Bell operating companies announced that Gary McBee, former chairman of the United States Telephone Association, will head their lobbying efforts in the new Congress. The Baby Bells support opening all markets to immediate competition. "It's time to open all markets to all competitors, under the same conditions and at the same time," McBee said. "That will mean lower prices, more choices and better service for everyone." McBee's coalition will be called the Alliance for Competitive Communications. (Kennedy Maize/19950111/Press Contact: Bill McCloskey, ACA, 202-463-4129) ------------------------------------------------------------------------- To find out more about the anon service, send mail to help@anon.penet.fi. Due to the double-blind, any mail replies to this message will be anonymized, and an anonymous id will be allocated automatically. You have been warned. Please report any problems, inappropriate use etc. to admin@anon.penet.fi.