Senate Telecom Reform Bill a Move in the Right Direction

ALEXANDRIA, VA— On behalf of its over one million members and supporters, the American Conservative Union, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization, today praised Senate Commerce Committee leaders for their leadership in introducing S. 2686, the Communications, Consumers’ Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act of 2006.

“Senator Ted Stevens, the committee chairman, and Senator Daniel Inouye, the ranking member, are to be commended for their grasp of the complex technology and marketplace issues that intersect today, and for their focus on keeping consumer interests foremost in the draft legislation,” said Bill Lauderback, executive vice president of ACU.

“Our members are pleased to see that the measure fosters more alternatives and choices for consumers in the video services they want in their homes. For that, we thank Senators Stevens and Inouye.

ACU also believes their proposal is right to refrain from opening the Pandora’s box of government regulatory oversight of the Internet. The Internet continues to grow in usefulness to consumers, students, medicine, science and commercial interests because it has been allowed to flourish free of government control. ACU believes there is no need to start controlling the Internet now.