Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508040068
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The bill would free cable-TV and local and long-distance telephone companies to get into each other's businesses, offering Americans greater choice and potentially lower prices. Opponents say the bill would benefit a few big companies and lead to increases in cable and telephone rates.
``This bill has been sold to the highest bidder in every telecommunications industry,'' Vice President Al Gore said Thursday, calling the measure ``abhorrent to the public interest.''
Debate on the most sweeping rewrite of telecommunications laws in 61 years got under way at 12:44 a.m. Thursday and continued for almost two hours, despite objections from Democrats.
``We should take up this bill in the light of day,'' complained Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
Lawmakers were expected to resume consideration of the bill late Thursday night, after dealing with other legislation. A final vote was expected today.
House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., told reporters Thursday that the timing was unreasonable.
``It is ridiculous to have members here at 1:30 and 2 o'clock in the morning and all night tonight trying to deal with legislation that deserves a fair and more reasonable hearing,'' said Gephardt.
The Senate passed a similar bill in June. But the House bill, as currently written, goes much further in deregulating cable rates and removing ownership restrictions on media companies - so much so that President Clinton on Monday threatened to veto it.
by CNB