Xavier Becerra: “let us not forget that the Ma Bell operating company, AT&T was broken up because the company used its control of local…”

“let us not forget that the Ma Bell operating company, AT&T was broken up because the company used its control of local telephone companies to frustrate long-distance competition. It was the Justice Department that pursued the case against AT&T, through Republican and Democratic administrations, to stop those abuses. Mr. Chairman, the standard that is in the Conyers amendment, which is the standard adopted and passed by the Committee on the Judiciary, Republican and Democrats, except for 1 member voting for it, is the standard that we are trying to get included now. It is a standard that is softer than the standard that was passed by 430 to 5 last year by this same House. It is a standard that is softened for the regional operating companies to be able to pursue and it is a very rigorous standard that the Justice Department must meet in order to be able to stop a local company from coming in. Mr. Chairman, let us not forget that the Republican Congress is trying to eliminate the FCC, and now they are asking the FCC to be the watchdog for consumers in this area. We should have a safety net for consumers and ratepayers. Vote for the Conyers amendment.”