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<br /> . <br /> BRUCE F. VENTO HOUSE COMMITTEE ON <br /> <lTH DISTRICT, MINNESOTA INTERIOR AND INSULAR AfFAIRS <br /> - <br />2304 RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUilDING CHAIRMAN: <br /> WASHINGTON, DC 20515-2304 Q:ongrcss of the tinitcd ~tatcs SUBCOMMITTEE ON NATIONAL PARKS <br /> (202) 225-6631 AND PUBLIC LANDS <br />. - - <br /> DISTRICT OFFICE: HOUSE COMMITTEE ON <br /> il'lousc of RcprcsCfitatilJCS BANKING, FINANCE AND <br /> GALliER PLAZA URBAN AfFAIRS <br /> 175 fiFTH ST., E. - <br /> RM. 727, BOX 100 ;g)ashington, 39ft 20515- 230t <br /> ST. PAUL, MN 55101 HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE <br /> (612)224-4503 ON AGING <br /> September 3, 1992 <br /> Ms. Catherine J. Iago <br /> Acting Clerk Administrator <br /> City of Arden Hills <br /> 1450 West Highway 96 <br /> Arden Hills, Minnesota 55112-5794 <br /> Dear Ms. Iago: <br /> Knowing of your previous conce!:n regarcUng the operation of the cable <br /> TV industry, it may interest you to learn that on July 23rd the House <br /> of Representatives passed legislation to impose strong new controls <br /> over the industry. <br /> As you may know from personal experience, the costs of cable <br /> television have sky-rocketed in recent years. According to a study <br /> by the U.S. General Accounting Office, the average monthly charge for <br />. the lowest cable service rose by 56% during the first four and <br /> one-half years following deregulation. This is more than triple the <br /> rate of inflation. In an attempt to reverse this trend and to once <br /> again protect cable subscribers from such abuse, I voted along with <br /> 339 of my colleagues to re-regulate the cable TV industry. <br /> This legislation, the Cable Television Consumer Protection and <br /> Competition Act or H.R. 4850, has two main goals - - cut consumer <br /> costs and promote competition. In order to achieve these goals, the <br /> bill, among other things: directs the Federal Communications <br /> Commission (FCC) to create a formula for setting the maximum price a <br /> cable operator can charge for basic service; requires cable <br /> operators to include all local broadcast stations, as well as <br /> Superstations, in their basic service packages; grants the FCC the <br /> authority to reduce rates for higher tiers of service if the rates <br /> are determined to be "unreasonable"; and allows the FCC to set the <br /> top price which could be charged for rental of cable equipment (i.e. <br /> remote controls). In addition, cable operators will be restricted <br /> from forming exclusive deals with program providers in order to put <br /> an end to the practice of price and term discrimination which have <br /> been used against competing multi-channel broadcast delivery systems. <br />. <br /> PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER Cc: JdC:I:E t- <br /> q-I/ -9CZ <br /> - <br />