Telecom Bill Could Take Shape in 2006
Telecom will be a “high priority” at the Senate Commerce Committee in 2006, Committee Staff Dir. Lisa Sutherland told a CompTel conference Thurs. It’s premature to say if the House, which has released 2 versions of its draft bill, will take the lead, Sutherland said. “Our bill will take a broader approach and Universal Service Fund (USF) reform will be an important element,” she said. Senate Democratic Counsel Rachel Welch agreed, saying both House and Senate will be looking at one another’s telecom reform efforts.
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The political cycle could affect telecom legislative prospects, Welch said. “Whenever there is an election year, there is normally a truncated time period in which you have to move legislation,” she said. But the committee won’t dawdle. “We're starting early, but we also understand the uncertainty we could create by jumping ahead of ourselves,” she said: “We want to take the time to do the things that need to be done in the right manner.” She also didn’t rule out the possibility of smaller scale bills if a major bill stumbles. “There is the possibility of moving something broad, there is also the possibility of some important issues being broken off. We're going to put every option on the table,” Welch said.
Sutherland outlined the committee’s telecom-packed agenda for 2006’s first quarter. It includes 15 hearings on topics ranging from decency bills to oversight of the FCC. There are 2 hearings on USF -- half a day on contributions methodology, with distributions on the afternoon menu. Other potential telecom bill elements set for 2006 hearings: net neutrality, state involvement with local municipal networks, broadcast and audio flag, competition and convergence, rural telecom and video content and franchising. The panel’s 2005 focus was on issues critical to coastal states, resolution of which will free to deal with telecom, she said.
The House telecom update is on hold, after a quick start under House Commerce Committee Chmn. Barton (R- Tex.). “The negotiations will take place all the way through February of next year,” said Bryce Dustman, aide to Rep. Wilson (R-N.M.). On Thurs., a strategy-mapping session on the bill was held by the “Group of Five” -- Barton, Ranking Member Dingell (D-Mich.), Rep. Pickering (R-Miss.), House Telecom Subcommittee Chmn. Upton (R- Mich.) and Ranking Member Markey (D-Mass.), Dustman said. Any telecom bill must avoid harm to existing competition, he said.
“I see no relevant document at this point in time,” said Dustman, referring to an update of the Barton bill. “The question is how close do we get back” to the original version bill, which Wilson backed more enthusiastically. A critical missing piece is USF reform, Dustman said. “Addressing USF is probably more important than the underlying bits… it’s one of the biggest issues that needs to be addressed and the House bill is silent on it.” He said that his office isn’t “privy” to discussions on new telecom legislation.
Barton likely will address USF this spring in a separate measure, said Amy Levine, staff aide to Rep. Boucher (D-Va.), echoing Dustman’s concern about the lack of a USF provision. “There’s not a huge amount of support for the second draft,” she said, but “I do think they are committed to a draft that can have bipartisan support.” A Nov. discussion draft for USF reform by Boucher and Rep. Terry (R-Neb.) (CD Nov 18 p1) could be a vehicle for USF discussion as the debate moves forward, she said.