John B. Breaux: “Mr. President, and anyone who may be listening to this ``debate''-- which is really not a debate yet but probably will…”

“Mr. President, and anyone who may be listening to this ``debate''-- which is really not a debate yet but probably will be a debate when we vote on Thursday when the time is allocated for Members to speak to present their positions on the resolution that is before the Senate-- let us remind ourselves that the resolution that has been introduced, S.J. Res. 17, is a resolution to completely throw out all the work of the Federal Communications Commission that they have spent 2 years in crafting. That is not something this body should consider doing without a great deal of thought and understanding. The Federal Communications Commission is a body of experts--people who have made careers of understanding the communications industry in this country--who are charged with looking after the best interests of the people of this country with regard to communications policy, and also to make sure that the system they devise, in keeping with what Congress has done, is a system that allows American industries to prosper, thrive, and to be successful in bringing about good communications to the people of this country, and at the same time try to create a level playing field that really balances the national interest with the public interest and with the interest of legitimate communications companies. It is no question that it is a public interest we are talking about because the airwaves do belong to the public; they do not belong to the companies.…”