Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006

COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITY, PROMOTION, AND ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 08, 2006)

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Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank the gentleman for yielding me time.

Mr. Chairman, I am from the other side of town. I live on the other side of town; and, Mr. Chairman, those who live on the other side of town understand the Biblical principle, the verse in the Bible that says, know ye the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

Mr. Chairman, there are some untruths that have been spoken today about this bill. This is a good bill. This is a marvelous bill. This is a bill that is worthwhile. This is a bill that will make a difference in the lives of the people who live on the other side of town.

Mr. Chairman, there are five truths about this legislation that I want to share with you. This legislation, number one, represents a huge step in bringing lower prices and more choices for cable services, not only from the other side of town, but from all of town, and also to the Nation.

Mr. Chairman, this bill will provide equitable competition amongst a variety of video service providers on the other side of town. Video service providers can compete in price, in quality, and in quantity. And the people on the other side of town, on my side of town, can finally decide which service provider they prefer.

Number two, Mr. Chairman, the second truth, this bill will create a nationwide approval process for pay TV services. The people on my side of town, on the other side of town, pay more money for cable TV services than any other demographic group within the Nation. And by streamlining this archaic franchise system, companies will be able to offer new TV services on the other side of town, while also protecting the local interests.

The third truth. And this is a truth, Mr. Chairman, that I take to heart. I have spent all of my life fighting against discrimination. And I will never, never, ever be a sponsor or cosponsor or vote for a bill that allows for discrimination in any area of life within this Nation.

The third truth, Mr. Chairman, is that this bill will prohibit discrimination on the basis of income and give the FCC the power to impose stiff fines, up to $500,000 a day, or revoke a provider's franchise area if there is willful or repeated violation of discrimination.

And it goes even beyond that. The burden of proof will be on the company and not on the consumer.

The fourth truth, Mr. Chairman, is that this bill also preserves net neutrality by allowing the FCC explicit power to go after companies that violate network neutrality principles.

And, Mr. Chairman, on network neutrality, let me just say this: network neutrality is a Trojan horse in this whole debate. It is not about build-out; it is not about access. The opponents of this bill are in favor of network neutrality, and they are not in favor, Mr. Chairman, of lowering cable costs for the people on the other side of town.

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Mr. RUSH. I thank the gentlewoman. Mr. Chairman, her amendment is a very worthwhile amendment. It goes a long way toward getting to the essence of a problem that I have determined is one of the barriers to economic parity within this Nation.

Mr. Chairman, we are sick and tired in my community of just being viewed as consumers of technology. We also want to be providers of technology. And this amendment, the Jackson-Lee amendment, would go a long way in making us providers of that amendment.

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Mr. RUSH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, my amendment establishes a dispute resolution process for monetary disputes between local franchise authorities and cable operators. If localities and video operators have disputes over franchise fees or other fees, this amendment will allow them to negotiate a resolution in a timely process.

The amendment is simple. It sets forth a deadline for the initiation and resolution of a complaint process. First, the amendment calls for the parties to meet and settle their differences before issuing a complaint at the FCC. It simply states that a franchise authority or cable operator must provide written notice to each other if there is a dispute regarding franchise fees or PEG/I-Net support. Both parties must meet within 30 days of notification. If the local franchise authority and the cable operator have not resolved the dispute within 90 days, then both parties can petition the FCC to resolve the complaint. The FCC then has 90 days to resolve any fee disputes.

Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this amendment.

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Mr. RUSH. I want to thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I have heard it all. I have heard every argument against the bill, and I have heard all in this motion to recommit. But I must rise to oppose this motion to recommit. And I don't do it lightly, but I must do it.

I must do it because, Mr. Speaker, what I have heard from the opponents of this bill is so confusing, it is creating a confused state in this Chamber. But I would ask all of my colleagues to not get confused about this bill. This is a good bill. This is a great bill. This bill will do a lot and go a long way to making sure that the cost of cable television throughout America, particularly in underserved areas, that we will have competition and the cost of cable will be reduced.

Mr. Speaker, the opponents of this particular resolution, they are trying to confuse us. They are trying to confuse us. They want us to eat the wrapper and throw the candy bar away. They want us to walk outside when it is bright and the sun is shining with our umbrella over our head, and when there is mist from the rain and the storm, we will walk out with nothing covering our heads. They are trying to confuse us.

Mr. Speaker, I know that this bill will drive the cost of cable down for my community in my district and districts like mine across the country. More than that, this bill, Mr. Speaker, will allow for diversity and ownership diversity in programming. This bill will allow minorities to get into the cable industry and into the telecommunication industry.

I urge my colleagues, don't fall for the confusion. Be clear. Vote against this motion to recommit.

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