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II
<br /> f. O_j '
<br /> � Vlume8N bar3The NaIws
<br /> ..14.
<br /> IASEO`'� I �` � JUNE 1989
<br /> TelecommuE I
<br /> Officers
<br /> and Advisors
<br /> eLsea ��
<br /> T
<br /> An Affiliate or �0./► R
<br /> I th1e NallonalLsepue \JAI* a
<br /> 1 0l Chea .,x;41•01
<br /> er
<br /> •
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<br /> 04'a�tbl�R .'dr • • i.+1aa' ♦�Lt 1.,. •e r •.A4'
<br /> Legislating :'••-----` �
<br /> Vol(j����J CABLE `. '1 1 Congressional
<br /> V✓ 4
<br /> Testifies _ _ ' Debate Begins' •
<br /> �- = Bills Hit
<br /> for Cities --�!LLL— t ii.
<br /> 'z#'al ,wtt. byCatharine Rice
<br /> A'i With a flurry of activity,a
<br /> S r i -..o.
<br /> _ x. _ T ';' ''4--.1, major debate on regulatory
<br /> On April 12,1989,Mayor ,IOW ,,, T*! Attis -V.1-;•:5_- policy for the cable industry has
<br /> Thomas J.Volgytestified on t i. Y rbeen kicked off In Congress.
<br /> behalf of NLC d USCM during 'r, �>>�6 °r••'R"`s' Three pieces of legislation have
<br /> hearings on the anticompetitive ". .
<br /> r , designed to provide cities and
<br /> This hearing was held by ,�d'`'1 '`, i _ �• s towns with broad new regulatory
<br /> . authority and increase Senator Metzenbaum,Chair, Y ;+ ( lion,and more bills are
<br /> competi-
<br /> Senate subcommittee on anti-
<br /> trust,monopolies and businessexpected In the next few weeks.
<br /> rights. What follows are • '-'41 +.Ir . Sen.Howard Metzenbaum
<br /> excerpts from testimony sub- ;.. r
<br /> t_r I I (D-Ohio),Chairman of the
<br /> milted by Mayor Volgy as wellc i . 1 xe t Senate Judiciary Committee's
<br /> as other representatives fromr • _ subcommittee on antitrust,
<br /> 0 the media field. •"1.` . r-- monopolies and business rights,
<br /> r. f • s Introduced two bills(S.833 and
<br /> S.834)on April 18 which are
<br /> Intended to check the monopoly
<br /> Mr.Chairman: , - • y I power of cable companies.Just
<br /> I want to thank you for this p-.•—• �'..••- two weeks later,Sen.Joseph
<br /> -
<br /> opportunity to testify before - - — — Lieberman(D-Conn.)introduced
<br /> you and the Committee on the t a bill(S.905)that would repeal
<br /> vital telecommunications *1•`:4."--2t:,),,„,.... rate deregulation in Its entirety.
<br /> Issues you are considering.As ' ^" (1 to R)Thomas J.Mooney,Mayor,ntcaon,Arizona and Rep.Christopher Shays Intra
<br /> the former chair of the National Mayor pro Tem,Saul N.Ramirez,Jr.,Laredo,Texas testily duced companion legislation
<br /> on behalf of cities during Senator Metzenbaum',hearings.
<br /> League of Cities Telecommuni- (H.R.2222)In the HOuse.As
<br /> cations and Transportation -‘k'•,-r NATOA News went to press,
<br /> -
<br /> Steering Committee,as the - 4--.c•--• - -- - — introduction of legislation on
<br /> present chair of the Conference the question of telephone com-
<br /> of Mayors'TelecommunicationsTelecommunications Act of consumers of telecommunica- pany entry into the cable busi-
<br /> Committee and the Chair of its1884,I am extremely encour- tions. ness was anticipated.
<br /> new Task Force on Telecom- aged by your interest,Mr.Chair- Senate Bill 88 promised us The Metzenbaum Bills
<br /> municatlons and Telcos,and as man,and that of the committee, competition instead of regula-
<br /> one of the original negotiators in this vital area of public tion.Today we have neither.In Citing the fact that 99 percent
<br /> representing the cities on Fed- olio fact,what we have today is a of the nation's cable sub-
<br /> eral legislation leading to the p At stake is something as (continued on page 4) (continued on page 2) •
<br /> crucial as freedom of speech in
<br /> / the electronic age.At stake Is
<br /> something as crucial as access
<br /> Also In to a technology which can National League of Cities Institute Floe Class Marl the quality of our lives 1301 Pennsylvania Ave.,NW U.S.Postage
<br /> �+ Issue:
<br /> which can improve the Washington,DC 20004 PAID
<br /> hl s issue: economic well-being of our citi- weatwglo",ca
<br /> zens.At stake are the rights of Permit No.3471
<br /> consumers In a monopolistic .
<br /> President's Letter 2 market.
<br /> Freedom of speech is guaran-
<br /> Legislative&Legal Affairs teed not only to those who can a
<br /> r
<br /> Hearings Highlights 5 I afford it,but to rich and poor Lalike.Contractual commitments
<br /> MrtzrnMum StaffIII
<br /> ...-OA__ y0....4_ ,.....1.4_i4 at-A.4%.ILL: i
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