FARNET's Washington Update

[Jeff Ogden]

FYI
  -Jeff

>Date: Sun, 1 Dec 1996 12:06:01 -0500
>To: legup@farnet.org
>From: Heather Boyles <heather@farnet.org>
>Subject: FARNET's Washington Update
>
>FARNET's Washington Update --- November 29, 1996
>
>IN THIS ISSUE:
>
>o  Telecom and networking related committees in the new Congress
>
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
>TELECOM AND NETWORKING RELATED COMMITTEES IN THE NEW CONGRESS
>
>The 1996 elections bring relatively little change to Congress (compared to
>the upheavals of the 1994 elections.)  Republicans retain control of both
>houses, albeit by narrow margins.  The Republican leadership within both
>houses, after some initial uncertainty, now also looks like it will be
>essential the same.  On the other hand, there are early indications that
>moderates in both parties may have more influence this Congress, compared
>to the extremism of the beginning of last session.
>
>In terms of the committees that affect the issues often covered here:  The
>House remains fairly stable.  The House Commerce Committee which has
>jurisdiction over the FCC and all telecommunications legislation remains
>under the chairmanship of Tom Bliley (R-VA) although it lost its chief
>telecom reform leader and Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee
>chairman, Jack Fields (R-TX) to retirement.  Because of a spitting match
>between potential Fields successors Reps. Billy Tauzin (R-LA) and Mike
>Oxley (R-OH), the Telecommunications and Finance Subcommittee of the full
>House Commerce committee is likely to be split into two parts.  Oxley,
>second in rank to Bliley for the Republicans was already claiming last
>session that he was the rightful chair of the T&F subcommittee. But Tauzin,
>a former Democrat who converted last session, claimed that he was promised
>by Republican leadership that he would retain his rank in the committee
>when he switched.  At present, it looks like Tauzin is likely to get the
>new Telecommunications Subcomittee and Oxley is likely to get the new
>Finance Subcommittee.
>
>Shortly before the elections, Fields chastised the FCC for overstepping the
>bounds of congressional intent in the Telecom Act of 1996, specifically
>regarding the interconnection ruling that now is being held up by a court
>stay.  Another trend at the FCC that Fields objected to was the inclusion
>of "plant and equipment" in the school and library discount plan that was
>discussed here last week.  Fields protested that the "letter of the law"
>was clear in prohibiting the use of the universal service fund to subsidize
>such items.  All accounts say that Tauzin is likely to continue the close
>oversight of the FCC's actions in implementing the Telecom Act.  Shortly
>before House and Senate passage of the Act last year, Fields made a last
>minute attempt to "correct" some provisions of the bill that he thought too
>regulatory.  Fields, among others, last session talked much about a
>"corrections" bill he'd like to bring to clean up some of the Telecom Act.
>It's unclear as of yet whether Tauzin will also pursue such a bill.  On the
>other hand, Oxley's foreign broadcast ownership language got axed from last
>year's legislation and it's likely that a bill will be introduced on that
>issue.
>
>The telecom counterparts in the Senate operate out of the Senate Commerce
>Committee.  The primary change there is that Senate Commerce Committee
>Chairman Larry Pressler (R-ND) lost his re-election bid.  Pressler was,
>essentially, point man in the Senate last year for the Telecom Act.
>Pressler's replacement will be John McCain (R-AZ).  McCain was one of only
>two Senators in the Committee and five in the entire Senate to vote against
>passage of the 1996 Telecom Act.  McCain voted against the bill because he
>felt it wasn't deregulatory enough.
>
>Continuing as ranking Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee is Ernest
>F. Hollings (D-SC).  The only significant departure from the Committee
>(besides Pressler's) is the retirement of Sen. Jim Exon (D-NE), the now
>infamous sponsor of the Exon amendment which evolved into the
>Communications Decency Act.
>
>On another front, funding for the National Science Foundation and its
>networking-related programs is authorized by the House Science Committee.
>Chairman Robert Walker (R-PA) is retiring and Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner
>(R-WI) will take his place.  Sensenbrenner has been Chairman of the Space
>and Aeronautics Subcommittee.  The Basic Research Subcommittee, having
>jurisdiction over most issues dealing with NSF, will continue to be chaired
>by Rep. Steve Schiff (R-NM).  The Technology Subcommittee which has held
>several hearings on computer security is chaired by Rep. Connie Morella
>(R-MD).
>
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>Written from FARNET's Washington office, "FARNET's Washington Update" is a
>service to FARNET members and other interested subscribers.  We gratefully
>acknowledge EDUCOM's NTTF and the Coalition for Networked Information for
>additional support.  If you would like more information about the Update or
>would like to offer comments or suggestions, please contact Heather Boyles
>at heather@farnet.org.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Heather Boyles
>Director, Policy and Special Projects
>The Federation of American Research Networks
>1112 16th Street, NW Suite 600
>Washington, DC 20036
>v:  202.331.5342
>f:  202.872.4318
>e:  heather@farnet.org
>


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