Press Release

Conyers Applauds the Judiciary Committee's Historic Bipartisan Votes to Protect Competition in Broadband Services

Today, the Judiciary Committee rejected the Tauzin-Dingell Internet Freedom and Broadband Deployment Act (H.R. 1542). Congressman John Conyers, Jr., Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, and Dean of the Congressional Black Caucus, issued the following statement:

"The Judiciary Committee has sent the message today to the House Leadership that the Tauzin-Dingell bill is in deeply troubled waters. By favorably reporting out the Chairman's pro-competitive amendment while at the same time rejecting the pro-monopoly provisions, Republicans and Democrats have exposed the Tauzin-Dingell bill for what it is -- a barrier to true competition in the high speed Internet market. The Tauzin-Dingell bill was hopelessly flawed and today fell under its own weight. 

"Although the Committee narrowly chose not to pass the Cannon-Conyers bill, we always viewed that bill as a back-up if Tauzin-Dingell were to pass or if our Committee was denied jurisdiction. This is a good day for consumers and competition. I hope the Leadership fully appreciates the ramifications of the Committee's actions - the `96 Telecom Act is working and Congress should leave it alone.

"Competition should be our religion in telecommunications. It should be our credo. It is the touchstone for lower prices, better services, and for unleashing the innovative creativity that has built our new economy from the ground up. Today the Judiciary Committee asserted its historic role by preserving these basic rules of competition."

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