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House Telecom Bill Stalls Over 'Net Neutrality' Vote
By Drew Clark

(Monday, May 1) Legislation to grant Bell telephone companies quick entry into the pay-television market will not be on the House floor this week, aides to Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, confirmed.

As Fight Against Telco/Cable Net Monopoly Looms for House Floor, the Barton-Rush Bill Should Be Scuttled.
More “Scholars” with Undisclosed Financial Connections Back the Telco/Cable PR campaign
from: Digital Destiny, April 28

Proponents of network neutrality will engage in hand-to-hand political combat next week, as the Barton-Rush broadbanditry bill comes to a vote on the House floor. Led by Rep. Ed Markey, the Democrats have apparently awakened from their slumber on network neutrality. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi now plans to co-sponsor the Markey amendment. Ms. Pelosi, Rep. Boucher and others are seeking a ruling to bring the neutrality amendment for a vote. It is also reported that the Democrats will offer an amendment on what is called “build-out.” This would help redress somewhat the plans of AT&T and Verizon to engage in economic redlining; these giants only desire to initially serve the most affluent customers (leaving low-income and others behind).

Note: more recent news indicates the COPE Bill won't be introduced to the full House until the week of May 10th

Telecom Bill Likely to Hit House Floor Next Week
National Journal, April 27, 2006
By Drew Clark

The telecommunications legislation approved by the House Energy and Commerce Committee late Wednesday is likely headed for a House floor vote around the middle of next week, aides to Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. said.

Special To Insider Update

Democratic Amendments Fail To Fly
In House Telecom Markup Session

By Drew Clark and David Hatch
(Wednesday, April 26)

Major Democratic-sponsored amendments were defeated Wednesday during a House Energy and Commerce Committee session convened to vote on major telecommunications legislation.

Local governments oppose the proposed Communication, Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act (COPE) and say national franchising would limit video competition to well-to-do neighborhoods, threaten local budgets, and undermine their ability to protect their residents and manage public rights of way.

An unprecedented coalition of organizations representing U.S. cities have issued the following joint statements. The coalition includes; National League of Cities (NLC), US Conference on Mayors, National Association of Counties, National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisers (NATOA), Government Finance Officers Association, National Conference of Black Mayors and the International Municipal Lawyers Association.

The Senate just needs to pass "anything to get us into conference," where the real decisions will be made.
– House telecom subcommittee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.)

The COPE Bill (The Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Bill, HR.5252) was formally introduced May 2nd (download the bill). After many delays, this legislation is still expected to reach a full House vote in June. Please continue to send emails and call your House Representatives and say NO to COPE!

The Stevens Senate Telecom Bill draft (S.2686) was released May 1, read a summary or download the 135 page document. This Bill is suddenly moving fast, the Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled two hearings on May 18th and 25th prior to Committee mark-up in late June. By all accounts this Bill is as bad as COPE in regards to PEG and net neutrality.

The BARTON/COPE Act (The Communications Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement Act) passed last Wednesday (4/26) in the House Commerce Committee by a 42-12 vote. It is now expected the Bill will reach the Full House for a vote in June. We need a better model now! We need our representatives to transform this legislation into something that protects and serves the public interest – or we need them to stop this process until such reason can prevail.

The Commerce Committee defeated amendments that would protect PEG access, prevent redlining and ensure that video providers open their networks to competitors and independent content. Changes made to the bill offer no real protections or enforcement. The future of community communications is at stake.

Take Action Today!
We have revised our email campaign to take into consideration these recent changes. Please take a moment to do the following:

1) Go to our action page to send the electronic letter to your Congress people and Senators. Add your own personal comments too.

2) Print the preview page! This has the phone numbers for your House Representatives at the top - and the letter you're sending.

3) Reach out and touch your House Representatives! Call and ask them how they are voting on the COPE bill. If they support the Bill, tell them you don't support their vote unless they can guarantee that the three provisions in the letter are addressed - that is, really addressed with strong ironclad language. Also, see our scorecard on the Commerce Comittee vote - your Rep may be on that committee.

4) Tell others to do this! We need thousands of emails and phone calls!

Update 4.27 - 2:00pm EST:
A Bad Day for Media Democracy

We've posted a voting scorecard for COPE. NATOA has also put out a scorecard of the vote on each amendment. Please continue to send your emails to Congress!

"Today, consumers won yet another decisive victory with committee passage of the video choice bill." - Verizon Lobbyist Peter Davidson

Despite the Telco spin above, the passage of COPE in the House Commerce Committee on Wednesday will have a devastating impact on public interest issues in telecommunication policy. Today, years of consumer protections and rules regulating industry ethics were either setback or summarily ignored.

What's the going rate to get a Democratic sponsor to add their name to what is essentially a Republican/Pro-Corporate Bill? About 1 million dollars . . .

Critics blast SBC-Rush relationship
April 25, 2006

BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Washington Bureau Chief
Advertisement

WASHINGTON -- An Englewood community center founded by Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), a key player on telecommunications legislation, received a $1 million grant from the charitable arm of SBC/AT&T, one of the nation's largest phone companies.

The Nation, April 24, 2006
By Jeff Chester

Congress is about to strike a blow that would eliminate the last remaining policy insuring local oversight of communications companies. A GOP-led effort on behalf of the telephone lobby (principally Verizon and AT&T), also backed by many Democrats, is about to toss in the dustbin the longstanding policy enabling cities or counties to negotiate a "franchise" agreement with companies that provide cable TV service. A key House committee is poised to pass legislation that would strip away the rights of communities to have any say in how phone and cable networks serve them in the digital era. . .

Light Reading
APRIL 21, 2006

The idea of a national video franchise got another push this week, Light Reading has learned. Sources in Washington say a House floor vote on Rep. Joe Barton’s national video franchise legislation is already being planned, a strong sign of the bill's momentum.

Barton’s bill, called the Communications Opportunity, Promotion, and Enhancement Act of 2006 (COPE), will be marked up and voted on in full committee next week, probably Wednesday. The bill passed the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet by a margin of 24-7 April 5...