S13288 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE October 27, 1999 United States to take action to provide Christchurch, New Zealand, on October 6, Whereas Japan’s significant lag in devel- bilateral debt relief, and improve the 1999; oping broadband and Internet services, and provision of multilateral debt relief, in Whereas on October 15, 1999, Aircraft No. Japan’s lag in the entire area of electronic order to give a fresh start to poor coun- 096 departed McMurdo for the South Pole, commerce, is a direct result of a non- where the temperature was approximately competitive telecommunications regulatory tries. ¥53 degrees Celsius; structure; S. 1733 Whereas Major McAllister piloted a 130,000 Whereas Japan’s lag in developing At the request of Mr. FITZGERALD, pound LC–130 Hercules cargo plane equipped broadband and Internet services is evidenced the name of the Senator from Mis- with Teflon-coated skis to a safe landing on by the following: (1) Japan has only 17,000,000 Internet users, while the United States has sissippi (Mr. COCHRAN) was added as a an icy runway with visibility barely above 80,000,000 Internet users; (2) Japan hosts cosponsor of S. 1733, a bill to amend the minimums established for safe operations; Whereas less than 25 minutes later, fol- fewer than 2,000,000 web sites, while the Food Stamp Act of 1977 to provide for lowing an emotional goodbye and brief med- United States hosts over 30,000,000 web sites; a national standard of interoperability ical evaluation, Dr. Nielsen and the crew (3) electronic commerce in Japan is valued and portability applicable to electronic headed back to McMurdo Station; at less than $1,000,000,000, while in the United food stamp benefit transactions. Whereas the mission lasted 9 days and cov- States electronic commerce is valued at over S. 1750 ered 11,410 nautical miles; and $30,000,000,000; and (4) 19 percent Japan’s Whereas Major McAllister became the first schools are connected to the Internet, while At the request of Mr. DEWINE, the person ever to land on a polar ice cap at this in the United States 89 percent of schools are name of the Senator from Michigan time of year: Now, therefore, be it connected; and (Mr. ABRAHAM) was added as a cospon- Resolved by the Senate (the House of Rep- Whereas leading edge foreign tele- sor of S. 1750, a bill to reduce the inci- resentatives concurring), That Congress recog- communications companies, because of their dence of child abuse and neglect, and nizes and honors the crew of the Air National high level of technology and innovation, are for other purposes. Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing for its heroic ef- the key to building the necessary tele- forts in rescuing Dr. Jerri Nielsen from the communications infrastructure in Japan, SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 58 South Pole. which will only be able to serve Japanese At the request of Mr. WYDEN, the consumers and industry if there is a funda- name of the Senator from Missouri f mental change in Japan’s regulatory ap- (Mr. ASHCROFT) was added as a cospon- SENATE RESOLUTION 207—EX- proach to telecommunications: Now, there- fore, be it sor of Senate Concurrent Resolution 58, PRESSING THE SENSE OF THE a concurrent resolution urging the Resolved; That it is the sense of the Senate SENATE REGARDING FAIR AC- that— United States to seek a global con- CESS TO JAPANESE TELE- (1) the appropriate officials in the execu- sensus supporting a moratorium on COMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES tive branch should implement vigorously the tariffs and on special, multiple and dis- AND SERVICES call for Japan to undertake a major regu- criminatory taxation of electronic latory reform in the telecommunications commerce. Mr. BAUCUS (for himself and Mr. sector, the so called ‘‘Telecommunications GRASSLEY) submitted the following res- Big Bang’’; SENATE RESOLUTION 108 olution; which was referred to the (2) a ‘‘Telecommunications Big Bang’’ At the request of Mr. ROBB, his name Committee on Foreign Relations: must address fundamental legislative and was added as a cosponsor of Senate regulatory issues within a strictly defined S. RES. 207 Resolution 108, a resolution desig- timeframe; nating the month of March each year Whereas the United States has a deep and (3) the new telecommunications regulatory as ‘‘National Colorectal Cancer Aware- sustained interest in the promotion of de- framework should put competition first in regulation, competition, and regulatory re- ness Month.’’ order to encourage new and innovative busi- form in Japan; nesses to enter the telecommunications mar- f Whereas new and bold measures by the ket in Japan; Government of Japan regarding regulatory (4) the Government of Japan should ensure SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLU- reform will help remove the regulatory and that Nippen Telegraph and Telephone Cor- TION 62—RECOGNIZING AND HON- structural impediments to the effective func- poration (NTT) and its affiliates (the NTT ORING THE HEROIC EFFORTS OF tioning of market forces in the Japanese Group) are prevented from using their domi- THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD’S economy; nant position in the wired and wireless mar- 109TH AIRLIFT WING AND ITS Whereas regulatory reform will increase ket in an anticompetitive manner; and RESCUE OF DR. JERRI NIELSEN the efficient allocation of resources of (5) the Government of Japan should take credible steps to ensure that competitive FROM THE SOUTH POLE Japan, which is critical to returning Japan to a long-term growth path powered by do- carriers have reasonable, cost-based, and Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mr. mestic demand; nondiscriminatory access to the rights-of- MOYNIHAN) submitted the following Whereas regulatory reform will not only way, facilities, and services controlled by concurrent resolution; which was re- improve market access for United States NTT, the NTT Group, other utilities, and the ferred to the Committee on Armed business and other foreign firms, but will Government of Japan, including— (A) access to interconnection at market- Services: also enhance consumer choice and economic prosperity in Japan; based rates; S. CON. RES. 62 Whereas a sustained recovery of the Japa- (B) unrestricted access to unbundled ele- Whereas the 109th Airlift Wing of the Air nese economy is vital to a sustained recov- ments of the network belonging to NTT and National Guard is based at Stratton Air Na- ery of Asian economies; the NTT Group; and tional Guard Base in Glenville, New York; Whereas the Japanese economy must serve (C) access to public roads for the installa- Whereas the 109th was called upon by the as one of the main engines of growth for Asia tion of facilities. United States Antarctic Program to under- and for the global economy; Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, the his- take a medical evacuation mission to the Whereas the Governments of the United tory of our Government’s effort to pro- South Pole to rescue Dr. Jerri Nielsen, a States and Japan reconfirmed the critical mote deregulation and openness in the physician who diagnosed herself with breast importance of deregulation, competition, Japanese telecommunications sector cancer; and regulatory reform when the two govern- goes back over 20 years. Back to the Whereas the 109th is the only unit in the ments established the Enhanced Initiative world trained and equipped to attempt such on Deregulation and Competition Policy in days when Bob Strauss was the U.S. a mission; 1997; Trade Representative. Whereas the 10 crew members were pilot Whereas telecommunications is a critical The first agreement involved signifi- Maj. George R. McAllister Jr., senior mission sector requiring reform in Japan, where the cant changes in the procurement poli- commander Col. Marion G. Pritchard, co- market is hampered by a history of laws, cies of Nippon Telegraph and Tele- pilot Maj. David Koltermann, navigator Lt. regulations, and monopolistic practices that phone. Known as NTT, it was then the Col. Bryan M. Fennessy, engineer Ch. M. Sgt. do not meet the needs of a competitive mar- government owned, monopoly, domes- Michael T. Cristiano, loadmasters Sr. M. ket; tic telecommunications provider. This Sgt. Kurt A. Garrison and T. Sgt. David M. Whereas as the result of Japan’s laws, reg- agreement has been revised and re- Vesper, flight nurse Maj. Kimberly ulations, and monopolistic practices, Japa- Terpening, and medical technicians Ch. M. nese consumers and Japanese industry have newed seven times—most recently ear- Sgt. Michael Casatelli and M. Sgt. Kelly been denied the broad benefits of innovative lier this year. McDowell; telecommunications services, cutting edge There has been a plethora of other bi- Whereas the crew departed Stratton Air technology, and lower prices that competi- lateral telecommunications agree- Base for McMurdo Station in Antarctica via tion would bring to the market; ments with Japan over the years. On

VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:02 Nov 01, 2013 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\1999SENATE\S27OC9.REC S27OC9 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY October 27, 1999 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S13289 interconnection. On cellular phones. Japan’s adoption of the USTR requests, Our concern is that we need effective And on international value added net- a so-called ‘‘Telecommunications Big bilateral government oversight so Ja- works. Bang’’, would open the telecommuni- pan’s telecommunications industry We have used Section 301 to pry open cations sector to global competition does not revert to its traditional reli- the Japanese telecommunications mar- with all the attendant benefits. ance upon domestic suppliers and con- ket. We created Section 1377 in the 1988 Senator GRASSLEY and I are submit- sequently circumvent this agreement. Omnibus Trade Act to deal with Japa- ting a sense-of-the-Senate resolution. That is because Nippon Telegraph and nese telecommunications practices. We It simply stresses the need for this sig- Telephone’s procurement history shows have had the MOSS talks with Japan nificant regulatory reform in Japan. It that even nearly two decades after the in the 1980s. And we have also pursued calls on USTR vigorously to implement first bilateral agreement on this com- multilateral efforts through the GATT, their call for this change. And it sends pany’s procurement, Japan still tends the WTO, and the Information Tech- the message to Japan that the Senate to make a large portion of its procure- nology Agreement—the ITA. is strongly behind this effort. ment from the ‘‘NTT family’’ of Japa- I don’t think the United States has Such deregulation serves American nese equipment makers; thus, not negotiated more in one sector with any and International business. It serves opening their markets to products nation than we have done with Japan the Japanese economy. It serves the from overseas, including U.S. products. over telecommunications. Japanese consumer. It serves Japanese Often, NTT over-engineers specifica- And we have made progress, from vir- industry. And it serves the original and tions, which in the past were very tually zero sales by Americans to global economy which need so des- Japan-specific or company-specific— Japan in this sector twenty years ago perately a growing Japan. In the long- another nontariff trade barrier to keep to several billion dollars today. run, everyone would win. out products from the United States I urge my colleagues to support this But there is still a long way to go. and other countries. resolution when it is called up. Japan is the second largest economy in World telecommunications trade is the world. It is at the cutting edge of Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, this resolution I am offering with Senator growing very rapidly, but global mar- most high technology. Yet its con- ket access is not keeping pace with the BAUCUS calls for fair access to Japan’s sumption of telecommunications goods fast pace of technology development. and services fits more closely the $35 billion telecommunications equip- ment market. Telecommunications is The Baucus-Grassley resolution ex- model of a second tier economy. presses the sense of the Senate that the It is true that penetration of cellular one of our most important exports and one of our most significant areas for only effective way for the United phones in Japan is among the highest States to achieve significant market in the world. But, Japan has only 17 future export growth. Recently, the United States and access in Japan is through Japan stay- million Internet users, while the Japan reached a new telecommuni- ing with serious and sustained deregu- United States has almost five times as cations procurement agreement cov- lation and consequently having market many—80 million users. Japan hosts ering procurement by the successor opportunities for imports from other fewer than two million web sites, while companies of the Nippon Telegraph and countries, including the United States. the United States hosts over 30 million. Telephone Company. This agreement This resolution carriers a message Electronic commerce in Japan is val- replaced the 1997 agreement that ex- that ought to be heard loud and clear ued at less than one billion dollars, pired when the Nippon Telegraph and in the runup to the World Trade Orga- versus at least thirty times as much in Telephone Company was restructured. nization Ministerial Conference that the United States. And only 19 percent We have had many difficulties gain- will take place in Seattle at the end of of Japan’s schools are connected to the ing access to Japan’s telecommuni- November. So I strongly urge my col- Internet, versus in the United States cates market in the past, probably not leagues to approve this resolution. where 89 percent of schools are con- too different from a lot of sectors as we f nected. try to enter our products into Japan. It Why is this? may be nothing new in that respect, AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED The answer is simple. Japan main- but this is a new agreement that will tains a non-competitive regulatory sys- be in effect for 2 years, and we should tem that prevents market forces from AFRICAN GROWTH AND give it a chance to work. But history OPPORTUNITY ACT fully operating in the telecommuni- shows we have not made much progress cations sector. American telecom serv- when it comes to implementing fair bi- ice and equipment providers are still lateral market access agreements with LAUTENBERG AMENDMENT NO. limited in their ability to do business Japan. 2331 in Japan. You know the usual story: We are al- But the system also hurts the Japa- ways overjoyed, after several months (Ordered to lie on the table.) nese consumer. They can’t obtain the or even years of negotiating an agree- Mr. LAUTENBERG submitted an highest quality telecommunications ment with the Japanese, that it has amendment intended to be proposed by technology at the lowest price. They been some major breakthrough; and him to the bill (H.R. 434) to authorize a are not able to choose from the incred- then down the road a few months or new trade and investment policy for ible array of services and products years, when you expect the agreement sub-Sahara Africa; as follows: available around the world. And they to be carried out—not only according At the appropriate place, insert the fol- pay higher prices than they should. to its word but also according to its lowing new section: Japanese firms also suffer for the spirit—you find the victory you antici- SEC. ll. NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS FOR ALBA- same reasons in their telecommuni- pated and were thankful for at the NIA. cations purchases. They cannot get the time it was signed comes out to be a (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the fol- best. And they overpay for what they lowing findings: half a loaf or a quarter of a loaf in (1) Albania has been found to be in full can buy. Many modern services are practice. I think that is what we are compliance with the freedom of emigration simply unavailable in Japan. finding out here a little bit with this requirements under title IV of the Trade Act Earlier this month, the United States telecommunications agreement. of 1974. Government presented Japan with its The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (2) Since its emergence from communism, annual deregulation requests in a num- Company and the government in Albania has made progress toward demo- ber of sectors. If the Japanese govern- Japan, which owns 65 percent of the cratic rule and the creation of a free-market ment implemented this whole list, they telecommunications group, have tradi- economy. would be on a path leading to economic tionally maintained that Nippon Tele- (3) Albania has concluded a bilateral in- growth. To better choice and lower graph and Telephone is a private com- vestment treaty with the United States. (4) Albania has demonstrated a strong de- prices for its consumers. And to in- pany which should not be subject to sire to build a friendly relationship with the creased efficiency for its industry. government interference but be al- United States and has been very cooperative I an not naive enough to think that lowed to make its own procurement de- with NATO and the international commu- will happen. However, I do know that cisions. nity during and after the Kosova crisis.

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