Reps Doyle and Shimkus on Broadband and Comcast

Reps Mike Doyle (D-PA) and John Shimkus (R-IL) appear on C-SPAN's The Communicators on June 26.

Speaking about plans to reclassify broadband, Rep Doyle said he didn't think there would be enough time for Congress to clarify the Federal Communications Commission's broadband authority this year, and that the commission needed to go ahead and do it itself. "I fear the clock is running out on us this year," he said, "which is why we think it is important in that vacuum that the FCC has to take some action." He also said he was one of those who believed the FCC already has the flexibility under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to reclassify without any assistance from Congress.

Rep Shimkus took the other side of the Title II debate. He said it was a way for the FCC to move on its network neutrality agenda, an agenda being pushed by "major interests on the West Coast that help support the Democratic party, and so that is why they are moving on this agenda." When asked to identify those political interests, Rep Shimkus replied: "You know who they are. Our friends at Google are one of the major focuses, and they have their interests and I support the rights of people to collectively organize to air their grievances and get the government changes, so I am not disputing their right to do that. They have supporters and allies and that is what this is about."

Rep Doyle believes the Comcast/NBCU deal will be approved, pointing to deals Comcast struck with affiliates this week as bringing the joint venture "one step closer." But he suggested the next negotiations will include small cable operators that have registered concerns about the deal's impact: "I think there are still some other negotiations that are going to take place between small cable and other stakeholders, and I think eventually it will be approved. I think that will be a good thing once all the safeguards are put in place."

Rep Doyle also said that targeted telecommunications legislation is unlikely to emerge this year -- but if it does, House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Rick Boucher (D-VA) would champion it.