Political Quotes

“I am concerned that the Feingold amendment is an inappropriate attempt to continue excessive government regulation of the cable industry. I believe that additional reports on the industry by the Federal Communications Commission would be an unnecessary waster of taxpayer money. Furthermore, any efforts to deal with cable rates should be dealt with in the upcoming hearing we have scheduled before the Commerce Committee this Tuesday. The Cable Bureau is largely a product of the 1992 Cable Act. I opposed that Act because I believed it was overly regulatory and heavy handed. I believe that my concerns were proven to be correct. However, in 1996, Congress responded to some of the excesses of the 1992 Act and to the growing competitiveness of the marketplace by adopting several Cable Act reform provisions as part of the Telecommunications Act. The aim of the Telecommunications Act as it related to cable services was to provide increased choices at lower cost by opening up historically monopolistic, regulated markets to new entrants. In return, cable operators would be allowed to enter new communications markets such as telephone and information services. As we move beyond traditional models of monopolies and excessive regulation to a climate of open competition, exciting new educational and commercial opportunities are beginning to appear. I am also very concerned about the recent spate of increases in cable rates.”