Slow Week for Congress, but Several Hearings Expected Soon
Congress returns tomorrow (Tues.) after a 2-week recess, but communication issues seem destined to wait at least another week to be addressed. Despite talk of hearings by several committees, none are set for this week. Universal Service Fund, telecom mergers, and IP- enabled video are all topics sources said would likely be subjects of Hill hearings in coming weeks. Industry and Senate sources said the Senate Commerce Committee seemed ready to begin holding hearings on telecom issues. And new FCC Chmn. Martin could make his official Hill debut soon.
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A panel spokesman said the House Appropriations Committee is working on scheduling Martin for a hearing before the Commerce Justice State Subcommittee. The FCC chmn. generally testifies yearly before the CJS Subcommittee, now chaired by Rep. Wolf (R-Va.). Several House Appropriations Committee and subcommittee hearings are set for next week; a spokesman said the Committee was trying to work Martin into the schedule, though he’s not likely to testify this week.
The Senate Commerce Committee will hold its first telecom-related hearing of 2005 when it examines how the Anti-Deficiency Act (ADA) affects the Universal Service Fund. Last year, the FCC ruled Anti-Deficiency Act rules applied to the USF, which would have prevented the FCC’s Universal Service Administrative Co. from making USF commitments before it had received the funds. The ruling put nearly $400 million in E-rate funding in jeopardy; Congress last year passed legislation temporarily exempting USF programs from ADA requirements. A bill (S- 241) by Sen. Snowe (R-Me.) would make that exemption permanent; Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R- Alaska) backs the bill.
As SBC, Verizon and others make plans to roll out a video service, the House Commerce Committee probably will look at rules governing IP-enabled video, industry and House sources said. The Committee is planning a hearing to focus on regulators, including the FCC and state regulators.
The Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee is expected to hold another hearing on telecom mergers, tentatively on April 19. The hearing was announced during the recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on telecom mergers that featured CEOs of Verizon, SBC, AT&T and MCI. Several senators said they wanted a 2nd panel of witnesses able to raise questions and challenges to the merger. Time constraints forced that session to be set for April. The hearing will likely be at the Subcommittee level; the earlier session was a full committee hearing.
Several industry and congressional sources said other issues will require immediate attention from both chambers’ commerce committees. Once those issues are resolved, there might be more focus on telecom issues, the sources said. The House Commerce Committee this week will take up energy legislation. The Senate Commerce Committee’s immediate priority is completing a highway transportation bill, which a Senate source said must be done by the 2nd week in April.
Stevens was expected to attend the NCTA convention in San Francisco over the weekend, though not scheduled for public speeches. Stevens had been urging the cable industry to develop better parental controls for indecent programming. He has suggested some form of tiered delivery system to let parents block indecent programming.