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from: MultiChannel News

Bass Aide: No Telecom Bill in 2006
By Ted Hearn7/11/2006 7:30:00 PM

Newport, R.I. -- Sharp policy disputes and election-year time constraints mean that a major telecommunications bill will not pass Congress in 2006, an aide to Rep. Charles Bass (R-N.H.) said Tuesday.

"The number of days left in the House is sub-30. I just don't think there is enough time," said Tad Furtado, a telecommunications adviser to Bass, who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee where the House telecommunications bill originated.

Furtado, a panelist at the New England Cable & Telecommunications Association convention here, said a wide policy gulf existed between Senate Commerce Committee chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) on rural phone-company subsidies, and the two lawmakers were unlikely to reach a compromise.

"Sen. Stevens' interest in passing as part of the telecom bill comprehensive universal-service-fund reform is at direct odds with chairman Barton's views on USF," Furtado said. "Although there's a small effort in the House [Energy and] Commerce Committee, led by [Rep.] Lee Terry (R-Neb.), to engage the topic, we have not done the homework or built the record required for such an important topic. So I can't imagine that we will be able to conference a bill where Sen. Stevens is insisting on USF being part of it."

Stevens wants to empower the Federal Communications Commission to shore up the $6.5 billion USF by expanding the base of contributors -- perhaps including a portion of cable-modem revenue for the first time. Stevens' bill (S. 2686, H.R. 5252) also includes $500 million in additional annual funding for broadband facilities in unserved areas.

In contrast, Barton has expressed concern that USF money is not being administered properly, and he has even suggested elimination of the program. The Barton-sponsored telecom bill (H.R. 5252), which passed the House in June, is largely silent on USF except that facilities-based voice-over-Internet-protocol service providers would need to contribute, tracking an FCC order adopted in June.

Furtado suggested that a bill dealing strictly with cable-franchising issues had some hope. "The franchise stuff -- I think there is middle ground there," he added.

Two weeks ago, Stevens indicated that he might try to trim his bill to obtain Senate passage, but he insisted that the Senate bill include USF revisions.

But broader legislation, Furtado said, had little chance of success. "I just the think the differences between the Senate and House versions are just too great," he added.

Assuming that Republicans retain control of the House and Senate in the November elections, Furtado said, "I do think we'll get a bill ultimately next Congress."