cr> Telecom bill update

1996-01-31

Craig A. Johnson

On Tuesday, 30 January 1996, Joe Shea <•••@••.•••>  wrote:

<...>

>         Apropos of this message, it is our understanding that the
>         bill
> will be voted on Thursday, and we now have a draft complaint
> awaiting approval of our parties to file in Federal court upon
> enactment.  

Joe,

A House vote is *very* unlikely this week.  Rep. Mike Oxley (R-OH)
said yesterday at a United States Telephone Association meeting here
that changes were being considered in three areas of the bill:  (1)
foreign ownership restrictions; (2) the "indecency" restrictions for
the Internet; and (3) ATV broadcast spectrum auctions.

Rep. Rick Boucher (D-OH) said at the same conference that the bill 
would "more likely come [to the floor] during the month of March."  
He later told reporters that the bill would not be considered on the 
House floor until after the budget issue was resolved.  

The House is adjourning next week for a three-week recess to return 
on February 26.  Boucher said that although they may get to the bill 
at the very end of February, March was more likely.

House Commerce Committee Minority Professional Staff Member
confirmed that the details remaining to be worked out were very
complicated and that House conferees would have to sign off on an
"errata sheet" with technical bill changes in order for the measure
to reach the Senate floor.  As of yesterday, members had not signed 
the sheet.

A late AP report yesterday indicated that Majority Leader Bob Dole had 
dropped his demand for an ATV broadcast spectrum auction provision to 
be included in the bill.  Dole and Speaker Gingrich met early this 
morning to try to hash out a compromise on the spectrum issue, but 
reportedly a complete agreement was not reached.

Dole's office is reporting he has left town.   While Gingrich is 
reportedly attempting to still bring the bill to the floor tomorrow, 
House conferees will not even be able to read the report until the 
spectrum issue and other matters are definitively resolved.

Craig

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