Telecom Reform Bills Marked Up

The Senate and House are trying yet again to tackle the extremely
contentious and difficult task of updating the U.S. communications
laws.  The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
reported out S. 652, the Telecommunications Competition and
Deregulation Act of 1995.  The House Commerce Committee marked up H.R. 
1555, the Communications Act of 1995.  Although legislation unanimously
passed the House last session, it failed to pass the Senate in the final
days of the 103rd Congress. 

	As with the previous legislation, S. 652 and H.R. 1555 seek to
address the increasing convergence or blurring of lines in the provision
of services between cable, telephone, broadcasters, and other service
providers.  Although there are differences in approaches, both bills
include provisions that would permit these service providers to enter
each other's businesses and eliminate or significantly reduce
regulations prohibiting such entry. 

	S. 652 contains provisions (Snowe amendment) to "ensure that
health care providers for rural areas, elementary and secondary schools,
and libraries are able effectively [to] utilize modern
telecommunications services in the provision of medical and educational
services to all parts of the Nation." It requires that
telecommunications carriers provide those services, included in the
definition of universal service, to elementary and secondary schools and
libraries at rates that are affordable and not higher than the
incremental cost to the carrier of such service.  Higher education
institutions are not included in these provisions.  After two days of
debate, on May 25, the House Commerce Committee passed H.R. 1555 with
ten amendments.  Amendments similar to those in S. 652 relating to
libraries were not included in the bill.  A related measure, H.R. 1528. 
the Antitrust Consent Decree Reform Act of 1995, was approved on May 18
by the House Judiciary Committee.  This bill calls for a significant
role for the Department of Justice in determining whether RBOCs may
enter long distance and manufacturing markets. 


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ARL 180
A Bimonthly Newsletter of Research Library Issues and Actions
Association of Research Libraries
May 1995