March 5, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 39 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Page H2327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            BETTER OVERSIGHT OF CABLE AND INTERNET PROVIDERS

  (Mr. BRINDISI asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BRINDISI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call attention to the need 
for better oversight of cable and internet providers.
  Between price increases, slow internet speeds, and baffling fees, 
customers in all regions of the country, and in my district in New York 
State, are overcharged by their cable company and don't always get what 
they have paid for.
  For customers on fixed incomes, a sudden jump in the cable bill can 
put a painful squeeze on other parts of the family budget. Customers in 
rural areas often find their broadband speeds are not nearly as fast as 
advertised, if they are lucky enough to have broadband at all. That is 
why I am introducing the Transparency for Cable Consumers Act.
  Under this bill, if a cable or internet company is fined by the State 
public service commission, the company would be required to report to 
the FCC what they are charging customers and what they are delivering 
in return.
  By bringing more transparency into the market, we can help increase 
competition and improve services for consumers across the country.

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