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Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, 4 years ago, Congress passed a landmark measure, the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This bill was passed in an attempt to break down some of the regulatory barriers among various communications sectors. It is one of the sparks that ignited our booming new economy in this information technology age.
In New York especially, the 1996 law has created competition in local telephone networks, areas previously dominated by monopolies. After an 18 month marathon of hard work by the New York State Public Service Commission and a thorough review by the Federal Communications Commission, Bell Atlantic became the first Bell operating company in the country to offer long distance service. Already, nearly one million New Yorkers have exercised their right to choose a new local telephone company. Creative new packages of local/long distance and ``all distance'' telecom services are being offered by many different carriers. To date, there are more than 350 competitive local exchange carriers, CLECs, in the country that are able to provide local telephone service, furthering consumer choice options.
Competition and innovation is working as we intended with the Telecom Act, and our experience in New York is proof positive.
I commend Bell Atlantic, the newer carriers on the scene, and our own New York State Public Service Commission Chairman Maureen Helmer and her team for their hard work in bringing the benefits of competition to all New Yorkers. It has been well worth the effort, and provides a valuable road map to competition for other States.
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