Thomas Daschle: “Senator Hollings and I have crafted a package of provisions designed to strike a better balance between consumer…”

“Senator Hollings and I have crafted a package of provisions designed to strike a better balance between consumer protections and market deregulation. These safeguards are designed to protect consumers by expanding services and keeping them affordable. This is accomplished in four ways. First, it improves the cable rate regulation provisions in the bill without compromising the important deregulatory changes that will spur competition and provide consumers with more choices. Specifically, the amendment improves the cable rate regulation provision of the committee bill by strengthening the bad actor test. Rates for the upper tiers of cable service will be found unreasonable only if they significantly exceed the national average rate for comparable cable service for systems other than small cable systems determined on a per channel basis as of June 1, 1995, and adjusted every 2 years. Additionally, the amendment will deregulate a cable company only after a telephone company begins to provide video programming service comparable to the video service provided by the cable company. Second, this amendment places reasonable limitations on the ability of cable and telephone companies to eliminate each other as potential competitors through buyouts and mergers, except in rural areas where competition may not be viable.”