J.C. Watts: “Madam Speaker, does competition mean a monolithic, one-sided monopoly? The manager's amendment to H.R. 1555, the…”

“Madam Speaker, does competition mean a monolithic, one-sided monopoly? The manager's amendment to H.R. 1555, the Communications Act of 1995, will do just that. The bill that came out of committee passed with bipartisan support and had some level of approval from all industry representatives. What happened? The provisions in the manager's amendment are so vague, it will be difficult for State regulators, and everyone else, to determine what constitutes competition. As the U.S. Congress deregulates telecommunications, we must assure that some fair standard exists for gauging competition and create a blueprint for the future of a competitive communications industry. As a former state utility commissioner, I have seen firsthand how true competition can benefit the consumer. This is why I have some reservations about the manager's amendment. Madam Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote on the manager's amendment. Let us go back to the original bill that the committee passed. We owe it to our constituents, the customers for all of these services, to make sure that rates are fair and wide open to competition.”