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“REGARDING THE SBC-AMERITECH MERGER” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E702 on April 20, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REGARDING THE SBC-AMERITECH MERGER
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HON. JESSE L. JACKSON, JR.
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, April 20, 1999
Mr. JACKSON of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, there have been a number of recent, very positive developments involving the proposed merger of Ameritech and SBC Communications. I was delighted when the Justice Department gave its green light to the merger on March 23rd. This approval followed a thorough review by the Justice Department and confirms that the merger is not anti-competitive.
The merger approval by DOJ was followed by a favorable recommendation from a hearing examiner for the Illinois Commerce Commission. Then, just last week, the Public Utility Commission of Ohio formally voted to approve the merger. I would also note that the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition endorsed the merger on March 29th. In announcing its support, the Coalition said, ``Rainbow PUSH found that these companies are truly concerned about implementing corporate practices that favor workers and consumers, creating employment opportunities and fostering small business growth.'' Additionally, the Coalition pointed out that the merger enjoys strong, broad-based support from organized labor.
Ameritech announced on April 6th that, consistent with the conditions imposed on the merger by the Justice Department, it was selling half of its cellular properties to GTE Corp. for about $3.3 billion. One of GTE's principal allies in this transaction is Georgetown Partners, a minority owned and operated company. Assuming the merger is approved, Georgetown Partners will become one of the most significant minority-
owned communications firms in the United States.
While all of these developments are extremely positive, Mr. Speaker, I must express my strong concern over FCC Chairman Bill Kennard's recent action adding a new, and unprecedented, hearing process to the Commission's deliberations on the Ameritech-SBC merger. I appreciate the Chairman's desire for thoroughness, but I must question the fairness of injecting such a process in a deliberation that has now been before the FCC for almost eleven months.
In conclusion, I would note that as long as this merger remains in limbo before the FCC, it substantially harms the competitive positions of both companies in the national and international markets. I hope we keep in mind that, between them, Ameritech and SBC employ more than 200,000 people. Many of these people are my constituents in the 2nd District of Illinois. I strongly encourage the FCC to consider the Ameritech-SBC merger with the same efficiency and fairness that it has considered other recent mergers in the highly competitive telecommunications industry.
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