Vote On Tauzin-Dingell Delayed Until Next Year

Communications Today, Dec 14, 2001

The Regional Bell Operating Companies suffered a setback Thursday as House leaders delayed until next year a vote on legislation sponsored by Reps. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) and John Dingell (D-Mich.) that would have allowed the RBOCs to offer inter-LATA data services without opening their networks to their competitors.

"The leadership has decided to move the vote on the broadband bill to a date certain after we return next year," a spokesman for House Majority Leader Richard Armey (R-Tex.) said in a statement. "The likely date would be March," the spokesman added.

The bill still faces high hurdles in the Senate, where key leaders such as Commerce Committee Chairman Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) adamantly oppose it. >TK Yahoo [YHOO]: HotJobs.com [HOTJ]: TMP Worldwide [TMPW]: