Cable Television Competition Act, Day 1

The subcommittee heard testimony on H.R. 2546, the Communications Competitiveness and Infrastructure Modernization Act of 1991. H.R. 2546 would allow greater competition within the cable television industry by allowing telephone companies to enter into the cable television business. Subcommittee Chairman Markey announced the guiding principles of the subcommittee to be the goal of providing competition between information providers to American households without excess financial burdens being put on residential telephone subscribers. Ms. Obuchowski read a letter from the chairman of the National Telecommunications Administration, Robert Mosbacher, which advocated the administration’s position against the bill. The letter said the administration supported the goal of the bill, to improve the nation’s telecommunication infrastructure, but the administration argued against the inclusion of a timetable for implementation of the improvements. The letter said the administration preferred lea close