THE HOUSE

Cable TV Regulation

By a vote of 280 to 128, the House approved the conference report on a bill (S 12) to resume federal regulation of cable television. In part, the Federal Communications Commission and local authorities would limit basic rates, set customer service standards and ensure that cable company competitors have access to certain programming produced for cable. The bill was supported by commercial television and the consumer lobby and opposed by the cable industry and President Bush, who has promised a veto.

Supporter Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) said, “This is not a perfect bill, but it finally tells the cable TV monopoly that they cannot simply raise their rates to any level that they wish.”

Opponent Don Ritter (R-Pa. ) called the bill “a regulatory nightmare” that ultimately will raise cable rates and the cost of local, state and federal government.

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

How They Voted

Rep. Anderson (D): Yea

Rep. Dornan (R): Nay

Rep. Dreier (R): Nay

Rep. Dymally (D): Yea

Rep. Martinez (D): Yea

Rep. Rohrabacher (R): Nay

Rep. Roybal (D): Nay

Rep. Torres (D): Nay

Rep. Waters (D): No vote

Expansion of Mountain Parkland

The House rejected a bill (HR 5534) that would have expanded the federal role in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area at a cost of more than $2.1 million over nine years. The vote of 243 to 154 against fell short of the two-thirds majority required for passage under a fast-track parliamentary procedure. The bill would have provided for a federal takeover of a private “environmental classroom” facility, begun taxpayer funding of an ongoing archeological survey and removed a cap on land acquisition costs within the recreation area.

Supporter Bruce F. Vento (D-Minn.) hailed the recreation area as “a national park and resource at the doorstep . . . of urban America.”

Opponent John J. Duncan Jr. (R-Tenn.) said, “This is exactly the sort of wasteful pork barrel spending that has brought this nation to the verge of bankruptcy.”

A yes vote was to pass the bill.

How They Voted

Rep. Anderson (D): Yea

Rep. Dornan (R): No vote

Rep. Dreier (R): Nay

Rep. Dymally (D): Yea

Rep. Martinez (D): Yea

Rep. Rohrabacher (R): Nay

Rep. Roybal (D): Yea

Rep. Torres (D): Yea

Rep. Waters (D): No vote

College Construction Funds

By a vote of 250 to 104, the House adopted an amendment to block nearly $95 million in construction funds for several schools of higher education in Hawaii, Oregon, Louisiana, Connecticut, Alabama, Indiana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington.

At issue was the fact that the money had been earmarked for the schools by members of the House and Senate appropriations committees without benefit of an authorization bill, hearings or open competition. The amendment keeps the money in a $22-billion energy and water authorization bill for fiscal 1993 (HR 5373) but requires it to be allocated according to peer review competition.

“This is a classic example of pork barrel spending,” amendment supporter Timothy J. Penny (D-Minn.) said.

“Do not get into this peer business and do not get into this business of letting the administration decide where these projects are going to go,” said Tom Bevill (D-Ala.), an opponent of the amendment.

A yes vote opposed awarding the $95 million to schools picked by appropriations committee members.

How They Voted

Rep. Anderson (D): Nay

Rep. Dornan (R): Yea

Rep. Dreier (R): Yea

Rep. Dymally (D): No vote

Rep. Martinez (D): Yea

Rep. Rohrabacher (R): Yea

Rep. Roybal (D): Yea

Rep. Torres (D): Nay

Rep. Waters (D): Nay

Source: Roll Call Report Syndicate