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| MCCAIN
INTRODUCES BILL TO PROMOTE INVESTMENT, INNOVATION IN
CONSUMER BROADBAND FACILITIES |
| For Immediate Release |
| Thursday, Aug 01, 2002 |
| |
Washington, DC -- U.S. Senator John McCain
(R-AZ), ranking member of the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science and Transportation, today introduced
the "Consumer Broadband Deregulation Act of 2002,"
S.2863, a bill that would provide Americans with more
broadband choices by ensuring that the market, not
government, regulates the deployment of broadband
services. The following is the Senator's statement as
submitted in the Congressional Record:
"Today I
am introducing legislation that takes a comprehensive,
deregulatory, but measured approach to providing more
Americans with more broadband choices. By ensuring that
the market, not government, regulates the deployment of
broadband services, the legislation will promote
investment and innovation in broadband facilities – and
consumers will benefit.
"The bill would create a
new title in the Communications Act of 1934 that would
ensure that residential broadband services exist in a
minimally regulated environment. The new section of the
Act would also make certain that providers of broadband
services are treated in a similar fashion without regard
to the particular mode used to provide service. The bill
includes provisions that would take the following
actions:
· deregulate the retail provision of
residential broadband services;
· dictate a
hands-off approach to the deployment of new facilities
by telephone companies while maintaining competitors'
access to legacy systems;
· resist
government-mandated open access while providing a safety
net to ensure consumers enjoy a competitive broadband
services market;
· ensure that local and state
barriers to broadband deployment are removed;
·
facilitate deployment of broadband services to rural and
unserved communities by creating an information
clearinghouse in the federal government;
·
maximize wireless technology as a platform for broadband
services;
· ensure access to broadband services
by people with disabilities;
· enhance the
enforcement tools available to the FCC; and,
·
put the federal government in the role of stimulator,
rather than regulator, of broadband services.
"In 1996, Congress passed the first major
overhaul of telecommunications policy in 62 years.
Supporters of the Telecommunications Act argued that it
would create increased competition. My principal
objection to the Act was that it fundamentally
regulated, not deregulated, the telecommunications
industry. It has been six years since the passage of the
Act, but consumers have yet to benefit.
"The
latest legislative debate in the communications industry
has focused on the availability of high-speed Internet
access services, often called "broadband." Accelerated
broadband deployment reportedly could benefit our
nation's economy by hundreds of billions of dollars.
"With such a tremendous opportunity comes no
shortage of ‘solutions.' Many want a national industrial
policy to drive broadband deployment – they suggest
multi-billion dollar central planning efforts aimed to
deliver services to consumers regardless of whether
those consumers want or need such services. Other
legislative proposals have focused on limited sectors of
the broadband services market.
"If I had my way,
I would throw out the 1996 Act and start from scratch. I
am mindful, however, that broadband is an issue that has
polarized policymakers to the point of legislative
paralysis. Now is the time for a measured approach that
focuses on achieving what can be done to improve the
deployment of services to all consumers. I believe that
this legislation does just that.
"The bill has
multiple components designed to address all aspects of
broadband deployment and usage, while providing adequate
safety nets in the event of market failures that harm
consumers. The legislation removes government
interference with market forces that provide the
greatest benefit to consumer, and looks for ways that
government can facilitate, not dictate or control, the
development of broadband technologies."
(Click here for Sen. McCain's floor
statement)
(Click here for text of bill
in PDF format) |
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