FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          AT
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1995                             (202) 616-2771
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888


  ANTITRUST CHIEF WELCOMES AMENDMENT TO TELECOMMUNICATIONS BILL:
  IMPROVES TEST THAT JUSTICE WOULD USE TO PERMIT BELL OPERATING
    COMPANIES TO ENTER LONG DISTANCE AND MANUFACTURING MARKETS


Anne K. Bingaman, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the
Department's Antitrust Division, made the following statement
about the House Judiciary Committee's adoption of a key amendment
to H.R. 1528, the "Antitrust Consent Decree Reform Act of 1995,
which was reported out of Committee this morning:

     "The Administration welcomes the change in the bill and
commends Chairman Hyde, Ranking Member Conyers, and the Judiciary
Committee for their bipartisan and cooperative effort to improve
the test that the Department of Justice would apply in
determining whether to permit the Bell Operating Companies to
enter the long distance and manufacturing markets. 

     "While the Administration will continue to work with
Congress toward legislation that requires the Department of
Justice to apply the "VIII (C)" test to requests for Bell entry
into these markets, we recognize the important and positive
change in the bill.  The overwhelming Committee vote for the
amendment also reflects a growing bipartisan consensus on the
importance of a Department of Justice decision-making role to
ensure that telecommunications reform would not impede
competition in the long distance and manufacturing markets. The
Administration, like the Committee, supports Bell entry into
these markets adjacent to the local telephone monopoly when entry
would spur competition rather than unleash monopolies. 

     "We appreciate Chairman Hyde's leadership on these important
antitrust issues."


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95-276