Byron Dorgan: “For those who have not been involved in studying this legislation, I want to describe, again, why I think a role for the…”

“For those who have not been involved in studying this legislation, I want to describe, again, why I think a role for the Justice Department is central to telecommunications legislation. In 1934, when the Telecommunications Act was written originally, the issue was regulating a monopoly. Why must you regulate a monopoly? If you do not regulate a monopoly, a monopoly will do whatever it chooses to do to the American citizens and to the consumers. Regulating a monopoly was important in 1934. Mr. President, we are rewriting that telecommunications law today in the Senate. The issue is no longer reregulating or regulating a monopoly; the issue is deregulation and competition. That requires a different legislative approach. The breakup of AT&T into the regional Bell operating companies and the long distance companies, has created a substantially different kind of telecommunications network in our country. In the long distance area we have robust, healthy, vibrant competition.”