Antitrust and Communications Reform Act of 1994

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

22 November 1993

Last action

19 September 1994 · Reported

Status

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 612.

Summary

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Supersession of the Modification of Final Judgment Title II: Regulations of Manufacturing, Alarm Services and Electronic Publishing by Bell Operating Companies Title I: Supersession of the Modification of Final Judgment - Antitrust Reform Act of 1993 - Authorizes Bell operating companies (BOCs) to apply simultaneously to the Attorney General and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), notwithstanding the Modification of Final Judgment entered into on August 24, 1982 (AT&T consent decree), for authorization to provide alarm monitoring services or interexchange telecommunications. Requires such application to describe with particularity the nature and scope of each activity and of each product, service, and geographic market for which authorization is sought. Sets forth provisions concerning application procedures, separate determinations by the Attorney General and the FCC, and judicial review of such determinations. (Sec. 103) Prohibits a BOC, until one year after enactment of this Act, from manufacturing or providing telecommunications equipment or customer premises equipment, with qualified limitations on such activities after such period. Makes an exception for previously authorized activities. (Sec. 104) Prohibits a BOC with monopoly power in any exchange service market area from tying the sale of any product or service to the provision of any telecommunications service if the effect is to substantially lessen competition or to tend to create monopoly in any line of commerce. Provides enforcement of violations of this Act through the U.S. Attorney's Office (including a private right of action with injunctive relief). Title II: Regulation of Manufacturing, Alarm Services and Electronic Publishing by Bell Operating Companies - Communications Reform Act of 1993 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize a BOC, through an affiliate, to manufacture and provide telecommunications equipment and customer premises equipment. Requires the manufacturing to be conducted separately through an affiliate of the BOC. Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations ensuring BOC compliance with the requirement of this title, including the maintenance of separate books, records, and accounts for such activities. Requires the manufacturing affiliate to conduct all such manufacturing within the United States, with exceptions after a good faith effort. Prohibits telephone exchange rate payers from incurring debt attributed to such manufacturing activities. Requires such manufacturing affiliate to make available to all common carriers without discrimination any telecommunications equipment that is used in the provision of telephone exchange service and that is manufactured by such affiliate, with certain conditions. Prohibits such affiliate from discontinuing or restricting sales to a common carrier for as long as there is reasonable demand for such equipment (with a determination of such demand by the FCC). Requires each BOC to maintain and file with the FCC complete information with respect to the protocols and technical requirements for connection with and use of its telephone exchange service facilities. Requires access to such information for competitors of the BOC's manufacturing affiliate. Provides additional requirements (and appropriate regulations by the FCC) with respect to equal competition and accessibility of telecommunications and customer premises equipment. Directs each BOC manufacturing affiliate to establish a permanent program for the manufacturing research and development of products and applications for the enhancement of the public switched telephone network and to promote public access to advanced telecommunications services. Provides FCC administrative and enforcement authority. (Sec. 202) Directs the FCC to prescribe regulations to: (1) establish necessary and appropriate requirements for the provision of alarm monitoring services by BOCs and their affiliates; (2) prohibit BOCs and their affiliates from recording the occurrence or contents of calls received by providers of such services for marketing purposes; and (3) establish procedures for the receipt and review of complaints concerning violations by such companies of such regulations or other provisions of this Act which result in financial harm to a provider of alarm monitoring services. Provides for the expedited consideration of complaints. (Sec. 203) Prohibits a BOC and any affiliate from engaging in the provision of electronic publishing that is disseminated by means of such BOC's or affiliate's basic telephone service. Requires a separate affiliate or electronic publishing joint venture (EPJV) to maintain separate books, records, and accounts of such publishing business and to take certain other steps to maintain such business separately from BOC business. Provides operating requirements for BOCs under common ownership or control with a separated affiliate or EPJV. Prohibits a BOC or any affiliate from providing to any electronic publisher, including a separated affiliate or EPJV, customer proprietary network information for use in connection with the provision of electronic publishing that is disseminated by means of such BOC's or affiliate's basic telephone service that is not made available by the BOC or affiliate to all electronic publishers under the same terms and conditions. Outlines prohibited and authorized joint activities between BOCs and separated affiliates. Requires appropriate maintenance of separate books, records, and accounts for transactions related to the provision of electronic publishing between a BOC and any affiliate, as well as between an affiliate and a separated affiliate. Prohibits certain interaction (such as sharing of common officers) between a BOC and other electronic publishers. Sets forth transition and sunset provisions, as well as private rights of action for violations of the electronic publishing provisions.

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Timeline

22 November 1993
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H10911)
Source: IntroReferral
22 November 1993
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
22 November 1993
Introduced
Introduced in House
Source: IntroReferral
22 November 1993
Introduced
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Source: IntroReferral
23 November 1993
Introduced
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E3032)
Source: IntroReferral
3 December 1993
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.
Source: Committee
20 December 1993
Referred
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
Source: Committee
26 January 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
27 January 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
2 February 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
8 February 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
10 February 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Source: Committee
1 March 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
1 March 1994
Committee
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Source: Committee
2 March 1994
Committee
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee.
Source: Committee
2 March 1994
Committee
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
16 March 1994
Reported
Ordered to be Reported (Amended).
Source: Committee
16 March 1994
Committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Source: Committee
24 June 1994
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 103-559, Part I.
Source: Committee
24 June 1994
Calendars
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 313.
Source: Calendars
24 June 1994
Reported
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 103-559, Part I.
Source: Committee
24 June 1994
Passed
Mr. Markey asked unanimous consent that the Committee on Energy and Commerce have until midnight on June 24 to file a report on H.R. 3626. Agreed to without objection.
Source: Committee
28 June 1994
Passed
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Source: Floor
28 June 1994
Vote
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 423 - 5 (Roll No. 292).
Source: Floor
28 June 1994
Vote
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays (2/3 required): 423 - 5 (Roll No. 292).
Source: Floor
28 June 1994
Vote
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5, rule I, the chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Source: Floor
28 June 1994
Floor
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate.
Source: Floor
28 June 1994
Floor
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5189-5216)
Source: Floor
28 June 1994
Floor
Mr. Brooks moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Source: Floor
30 June 1994
Introduced
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Source: IntroReferral
11 August 1994
Reported
Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported without amendment without recommendation.
Source: Committee
19 September 1994
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 612.
Source: Calendars
19 September 1994
Reported
Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Hollings without recommendation without amendment. Without written report.
Source: Committee
19 September 1994
Reported
Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Hollings without recommendation without amendment. Without written report.
Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Reported to Senate · 19 September 1994 · Download file
Referred in Senate · 30 June 1994 · Download file
Engrossed in House · 28 June 1994 · Download file
Reported in House · 24 June 1994 · Download file
Introduced in House · 22 November 1993 · Download file

Documents

12 official files

Reported to Senate (text)

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Reported to Senate (text)
Reported to Senate · EN · 19 September 1994
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Reported to Senate (PDF)
Reported to Senate · EN · 19 September 1994
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Referred in Senate (text)
Referred in Senate · EN · 30 June 1994
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Referred in Senate (PDF)
Referred in Senate · EN · 30 June 1994
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Engrossed in House (text)
Engrossed in House · EN · 28 June 1994
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Engrossed in House (PDF)
Engrossed in House · EN · 28 June 1994
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Passed House amended
summary · EN · 28 June 1994
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Reported in House (text)
Reported in House · EN · 24 June 1994
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Reported in House · EN · 24 June 1994
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Introduced in House (text)
Introduced in House · EN · 22 November 1993
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Introduced in House (PDF)
Introduced in House · EN · 22 November 1993
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Introduced in House
summary · EN · 22 November 1993
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Related records

related to → National Communications Competition and Information Infrastructure Act of 1994
related to → Telecommunications Equipment Research and Manufacturing Competition Act of 1993
related to ← Communications Act of 1994

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/3626
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/103/hr/3626
us · 103-hr-3626 · source updated 14 January 2025