07-25-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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ACTION ;VLERT ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT DATE;July 19, 1994 TO:City Managers ana Cable Commission Executive Directors PROM; Ann Higgins, Intergovernmental Relations Representative The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to approve H.R. 3636 on June 28. It sent a signal tliat House members are prepared to support private industry *s design of the new telecommunications infrastructure (information superhighway) while denying to cities supp^^i'. for local irancliising authority to regulate cable companies or telephone industry delivery of video programming/cabic services. By a vote of 431 -4 (witli none of the opposing votes coming from the Minnesota Congressional Delegation), the House nearly unanimously indicated support for coaipctition among tclcconiniunicaiions providers which would override state regulations to permit local telephone compeiiiion; give competitors equal access and connections to local phone facilities and wires; allow cable and phone companies to compete in their own services areas; * deny phone cor panics permission to purchase cable systems in their own service ar^, except in rural areas with populations of less tlian 10,000; • establish a federal/state board which would determine universal service issues. In the rush to promote competition, Congress is poise^J to allow private, for-profit interests to take cliarge of tlie design of revolutionary changes in the ways in wliich individuals and communities will communicate and receive information without regard for the public interest in how and at what cost these new services will be provided. m m nr City officials must contact Senators Durenberger and Wellstone now and express concern over the House pre*eiuptioii of local franchising authority for cablc/video services, whether carried by current cable operators or the local (or long distance) phone company - or any otlxr provider. Tlic Senate Commerce Committee is expected to vote this week on S. !822, a bill authored by committee chair, Senator Ernest HoUings (D-SC), which maintains local cable franchising authority and provides that phone companies that carry video programming arc cable operators and subject to local regulation. City officials should also strongly encourage members of the Senate from Minnesota to su^ort provisions contained in S. 2195, authored by Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), who is the co-author of S. 1822. S. 2195 would require capacity to be reserved on all telecommunications nctwoxJcs for public use to guarantee delivery of public services by all providers of these new services. Senator Inouye is expected to request that these provisions be added to S. 1822. The League agrees with Senator Inouyc’s objectives of providing for intcreonnccted comtnunications for the public that can make possible great opportunity for individuals and communities to gain knowledge and pariicipaie in government decision making, obtain cultural, civic, and educational programming, and ensure that there is a diversity of intsr-changc and creativity in the operation of iiuonnation networks throughout the nation.