THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Vice President ________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release January 11, 1994 Contact: 202-456-7035 VICE PRESIDENT PROPOSES NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS REFORM Bring the Information Revolution to Every Classroom, Hospital, and Library in the Nation By the End of the Century Los Angeles, CA--Citing the need to bring the economic, health, and educational benefits of the information revolution to all Americans, Vice President Al Gore, in a speech to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, today outlined the Clinton Administration's proposals to reform the communications marketplace. Gore challenged his audience to provide free links from the information superhighways to every classroom, library, hospital, and clinic in the country. "You here today represent the companies that can do it," said the Vice President. Following The Vice President's pledge during the 30 minute speech, he stated the Administration's support for removing the legal and regulatory barriers that prevent telephone, cable and long distance companies from entering each others business. The Vice President recalled the dream of the interstate highway system of his youth. "Today," he explained, "we have a dream for a different kind of superhighway -- an information superhighway that can save lives, create jobs and give every American young and old, the chance for the best education available to anyone, anywhere." The Vice President said the Clinton Administration's position grew out of the following five principles, which he outlined in a December speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.: o Encourage private investment o Provide and protect competition o Provide open access to the network o Avoid creating information "haves and have nots" o Encourage flexible and responsive government action In a much anticipated announcement, Gore presented a series of policy decisions that will "clear from the road the wreckage of outdated regulations and allow a free- flowing traffic of ideas and commerce for the benefit of all Americans." Specifically, Gore's proposal would allow telephone companies to get into the cable business, and let cable and other companies into the telephone business. To make such new ventures possible, the Administration will prevent states from imposing barriers to new companies entering the local phone business and will require local phone companies to make their facilities available to all comers without discrimination and to allow competitors to provide all kinds of telephone services the phone company provides now. On the issue of the court decree governing the breakup of AT&T, Gore said he supported the effort by key Congressional chairmen to take the courts out of the phone business and provide a pathway by which the local phone companies can enter other lines of business -- like long distance service -- but including also electronic publishing and manufacturing. Gore praised the work of Congressman John Dingell (D-MI) and Jack Brooks (D-TX) and pledged his support to work with them to enact a bill this year. Gore also recognized the work of his colleagues in the U.S. Senate; Senators Ernest Hollings (D-SC),Daniel Inouye(D-HI), and John Danforth (R-MO) and in the U.S. House of Representatives; Ed Markey (D-MA),and Jack Fields (D-TX). "In many ways our legislative goals complement (their) work, said Gore. "We expect to introduce our legislative package shortly, and to work with Congress to ensure its speedy passage." ###