WASHINGTON (March 28, 2006) - In bipartisan legislation released yesterday, Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) will give consumers greater choices and lower prices for television. 

"This legislation represents a huge step in bringing lower prices and more choices, not only to my hard pressed constituents, but to the entire nation," Rush said.

The committee has scheduled a hearing for the Barton-Rush bill on Thursday, March 30, at 10 a.m. in room 2123 of the Rayburn House Office Building.

"This bill will produce an explosion of opportunity for American workers and American consumers will get an array of video services that were unimagined just a few years ago," Barton said.

"Current law no longer reflects the technological and competitive reality. Congress has a responsibility to update our communications laws," he added. "The notion behind America's cable laws is that competition doesn't exist, but with new competitors preparing to enter the ongoing race between cable and satellite, the law needs to change."

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The Barton-Rush bill, formally known as the Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act of 2006, will create a nationwide approval process for pay-TV services while still preserving cities' authority. In Texas, where the state legislature has already streamlined cable regulations, the city of Keller saw its cable prices fall nearly 25 percent after the local telephone carrier began offering TV.

"Competition drives down prices and encourages innovation," said House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. "I want to thank the members of the Energy and Commerce Committee, including my friends, Chairman Joe Barton and Reps. Bobby Rush and Fred Upton for putting consumers first as we prevent outdated regulations from stunting the growth of new pay-TV services and drive down costs by giving people more choice."

Updating cable laws will not only create exciting new cable services, it will also spur consumer demand for broadband. This will lead to significant new investments, more jobs and greater Internet capabilities that will make U.S. communities more competitive in the global marketplace.

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the Telecommunications and the Internet Subcommittee, and U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering, R-Miss., the committee's vice chairman, also expressed support for the bipartisan legislation.

Specifically, the bill would:
 

• Create a nationwide approval process for pay-TV services. By streamlining this system, these companies will be able to offer new TV services in many areas while protecting local interests. Cable providers will also be eligible to participate in this streamlined system once they face local competition.
• Require Internet-based telephone services to offer 9-1-1 capabilities while ensuring Internet telephone providers have access to all necessary 9-1-1 infrastructure and technology.
• Clarify the FCC authority to prevent Internet service providers from blocking or degrading any content or applications delivered over the public Internet.
• Preserve municipalities' right to collect up to a five percent fee from pay-TV providers.
• Allow cities and towns to develop their own broadband networks.