THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 5, 1996 TAG: 9602050058
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
Telecommunications: Voting 414 for and 16 against, the House approved the conference report on a telecommunications deregulation bill (S 652) allowing cable firms, telephone companies, television broadcasters and other industry segments and information technologies to compete against one another. For example, the government will remove price controls from cable rates, the regional Baby Bells will be free to offer long-distance service, and long-distance carriers such as MCI and Sprint will be able to compete with the Bells for local telephone service.
The bill makes it a crime to put ``indecent'' material for children on-line, requires new TV sets to come equipped with ``V-chips'' for parental control of programming, increases the number of radio and television outlets a single company can own and allows the networks to acquire cable systems.
Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., said: ``In addition to creating new jobs in the telecommunications industry, (the bill) will have a dramatic impact on consumers. It will bring about benefits of greater choice, of new and exciting communications services with even higher quality. . . greater access to information and education than ever before.''
John Conyers, D-Mich., objected to the bill's failure to require broadcasters to bid for the future use of airwaves being set aside for digital transmissions.
A yes vote was to approve the conference report.
Bateman Yes Pickett Yes
Scott Yes Sisisky Yes
Clayton Yes Jones Yes
National debt: The House killed, 229 for and 187 against, a procedural move by Democrats to force the House to approve a ``clean'' increase in the national debt ceiling before beginning a lengthy February recess. Republicans have said they may add fiscal conditions to the debt measure. The government's $4.9 trillion borrowing limit is expected to be reached March 1, and the House GOP leadership is planning a late February vote to raise it. Democrats called that timing irresponsible.
Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., said America has always paid its debts through the Civil War, two world wars and the Great Depression. ``We have guarded America's financial faith and integrity because it's as sacred as the Constitution itself. This is not partisan hyperbole. Even the threat of default is damaging our credibility day by day,'' he said.
Calling the parliamentary maneuver out of order, Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., said: ``This resolution would change House rules by automatically passing a specified bill. Nowhere in House rules is it contemplated or specified that legislation may be called up let alone passed by means of a privileged resolution.''
A yes vote was to thwart the Democratic move.
Bateman Yes Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky No
Clayton No Jones Yes
D.C. budget: By a vote of 211 for and 201 against, the House sent the Senate the conference report on a bill (HR 2546) appropriating $727 million for the District of Columbia in the current fiscal year. The overall city budget is about $5 billion. The bill launches a disputed Republican school voucher program providing payments of up to $3,000 annually to enable certain public school students to enroll at private schools in the metropolitan area. Public funds thus would pay private school tuition.
Frank Riggs, R-Calif., termed the bill a bipartisan opportunity ``to improve these schools and give all students . . . some educational opportunity and a new lease on life.''
David Obey, D-Wis., said the bill could become a precedent for ``organizations with an ideological agenda . . . to pressure each and every school district in the country to follow the same model'' for providing vouchers for private school tuition.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Bateman Yes Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky No
Clayton No Jones Yes
Municipal waste: The House rejected, 150 for and 271 against, a bill (S 534) in behalf of ``flow-control'' ordinances that communities use to direct solid waste to specific city disposal and recycling facilities. One purpose of these ordinances is to insure that communities receive enough business to retire indebtedness they incurred in building the facility. But the U.S. Supreme Court held in May 1994 that in excluding private sector competition, they violate the interstate commerce clause of the Constitution. This bill sought to legalize local flow-control laws in effect before the court ruling if the community uses its waste disposal profits only for retiring bonds.
Thomas Bliley, R-Va., called the bill ``a necessary evil'' to protect billions that communities have invested in waste facilities.
Opponents said the bill should be broadened to address the problem of certain states receiving unwanted out-of-state waste.
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Bateman No Pickett No
Scott No Sisisky No
Clayton No Jones No Senate Deregulation [for complete text, see microfilm]
A yes vote was to pass the bill.
Robb Yes Warner Yes
Helms Yes Faircloth Yes ILLUSTRATION: Photos
by CNB