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June 08, 2006
COPE Passes House With Big Bi-Partisan Support
In an evening session Thursday the House of Representatives voted 321-101 to approve the Communications Opportunity and Promotion and Enhancement Act (COPE), a video franchise reform bill that promises to expand cable TV competition and choice to consumers nationwide.
Nearly all House Republicans lined up behind the measure, plus 92 Democrats. In addition, Rep. Edward Markey’s network neutrality amendment, which had become a focal point for opponents of the bill, was defeated in an earlier voice vote and left out of the bill, a major victory for those who wish to see an unregulated Internet.
The bill creates a national franchising process for wireline service providers—largely telephone companies—who wish to use their local exchange networks to offer cable TV and cable-like video services. Until now the competitive entry has been slowed the need to negotiate franchise agreements with individual cities and towns, although several states have legislated statewide franchise rules.
Studies show that cable rates are an average 15 percent lower where there is competition.
COPE’s likely counterpart in the Senate is Communications, Consumer Choice, and Broadband Deployment Act (S. 2686), a sweeping telecom reform measure that is still in committee hearings.
Final tally on COPE is here.
An opposition web site, saveaccess.org, followed the legislation throughout the day here.
Posted by steve.titch at June 8, 2006 08:25 PM
I just don't have much to say recently. Such is life. I've basically been doing nothing. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. Oh well.
Comment by: Sten33510 at January 27, 2007 04:17 PM
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Not much on my mind right now, but it's not important. I've just been letting everything happen without me. I just don't have anything to say right now.
Comment by: Sten43764 at January 28, 2007 04:05 AM
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Comment by: Sten2341 at January 28, 2007 08:05 PM
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retty much nothing seems worth thinking about. My life's been completely dull , not that it matters. I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen.
Comment by: Sten37624 at January 29, 2007 08:38 AM
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retty much nothing seems worth thinking about. My life's been completely dull , not that it matters. I've just been staying at home waiting for something to happen.
Comment by: Sten60936 at January 29, 2007 03:37 PM
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Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It's not important. I just don't have much to say lately. I've just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.
Comment by: Sten24403 at January 30, 2007 07:50 AM
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Not much on my mind these days, but what can I say? It's not important. I just don't have much to say lately. I've just been letting everything pass me by recently, but eh.
Comment by: Sten29591 at January 30, 2007 05:49 PM
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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten95236 at January 30, 2007 09:44 PM
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My mind is like a bunch of nothing, but I guess it doesn't bother me. I haven't been up to anything recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing to speak of.
Comment by: Sten71413 at January 31, 2007 03:55 AM
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I haven't been up to anything recently, but so it goes. Such is life. What can I say? Pretty much not much exciting going on to speak of. I haven't gotten much done lately, but I don't care.
Comment by: Sten42257 at January 31, 2007 07:44 PM
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I just don't have much to say these days, but so it goes. Today was a total loss. I guess it doesn't bother me.
Comment by: Sten97417 at February 1, 2007 05:35 AM
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My life's been pretty dull recently. Shrug. My mind is like a void. I haven't gotten anything done lately. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten72569 at February 1, 2007 04:06 PM
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I haven't gotten anything done today. I feel like a fog, but what can I say? I've just been letting everything wash over me lately, not that it matters. Shrug.
Comment by: Sten48767 at February 1, 2007 09:46 PM
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I just don't have anything to say , but shrug. So it goes. Not much on my mind recently. I can't be bothered with anything recently.
Comment by: Sten44175 at February 2, 2007 02:08 AM
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Not much on my mind lately. My life's been completely boring these days. I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. So it goes.
Comment by: Sten69416 at February 2, 2007 03:47 AM
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Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten68482 at February 2, 2007 02:02 PM
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Not much on my mind lately. My life's been completely boring these days. I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. So it goes.
Comment by: Sten27198 at February 2, 2007 04:48 PM
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I haven't been up to anything recently, but so it goes. Such is life. What can I say? Pretty much not much exciting going on to speak of. I haven't gotten much done lately, but I don't care.
Comment by: Sten55975 at February 3, 2007 12:33 AM
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Not much on my mind. I don't care. I've just been letting everything happen without me , but shrug. Whatever. I feel like a void.
Comment by: Sten49726 at February 4, 2007 06:48 AM
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Basically nothing noteworthy happening right now, but eh. Today was a complete loss. I haven't been up to much recently. I've pretty much been doing nothing worth mentioning.
Comment by: Sten87865 at February 4, 2007 03:39 PM
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Not much on my mind lately. My life's been completely boring these days. I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. So it goes.
Comment by: Sten58030 at February 4, 2007 11:16 PM
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I haven't been up to much today. I've just been letting everything happen without me. Basically nothing seems worth bothering with. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I just don't have anything to say right now. More or less nothing happening.
Comment by: Sten76598 at February 5, 2007 09:58 AM
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Not much on my mind right now, but it's not important. I've just been letting everything happen without me. I just don't have anything to say right now.
Comment by: Sten4047 at February 5, 2007 10:27 AM
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I haven't gotten anything done recently. I've just been hanging out doing nothing. I haven't been up to anything these days, but it's not important. Today was a total loss.
Comment by: Sten18376 at February 6, 2007 08:22 AM
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