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from: Technology Daily

Limited Focus On Telecom Overhaul In Chamber Of Commerce Agenda

By David Hatch

(Thursday, January 4) Overhauling the nation's telecommunications laws received little attention at a U.S. Chamber of Commerce briefing, suggesting that the issue may be less critical for the group now that regulatory-minded Democrats control Congress.

U.S. Chamber Of Commerce President Thomas Donohue did not mention telecom issues during a lengthy speech outlining the business group's legislative goals for 2007. But following his remarks, he told reporters it remains a priority.

"We still have the same number of people using telephones," he quipped in response to a question about whether the subject is less important without business-friendly Republicans in charge.

Donohue acknowledged to another journalist that the conditions recently imposed by the FCC on the AT&T-BellSouth merger "took some steam out of what we're trying to do on the re-regulation of the telecommunications business."

But he contended that those conditions, many of which the Chamber considers ill-advised, will spur the business community to seek recourse through legislation.

In April 2005, with Congress then planning to update the 1996 Telecommunications Act, the Chamber formed TeleConsensus, a business coalition designed to influence the debate and promote innovation and investment in the telecom sector.

But while Chamber members such as AT&T, BellSouth and Verizon Communications lobbied fiercely for overhaul legislation in the 109th Congress, they appear less enthusiastic about legislation with the Democrats now in control.

A new Chamber report issued Thursday on "The State of American Business" devotes only one paragraph to telecom, which is lumped together with transportation.

"We will also advocate updated federal telecommunications laws and seek the elimination of federal policies that hinder investment in technology, while opposing net neutrality legislation," the report said.

The concept of mandating neutral Internet systems that are not dominated by high-speed providers triggered controversy in 2006 -- and helped stall major telecom legislation.

On a related front, Donohue said more needs to be done to increase the number of H-1B visas issued to skilled foreign workers so they can enter the United States and fill vacancies in the high-tech sector.

"We need talented people in science and technology and computer activities," he said. "We're just not producing enough people." Donohue warned that if more talented workers are not permitted to enter the country, "you send the work there."

But he told reporters that legislation is not needed to resolve the problem. Instead, he said the United States needs to issue more visas. "We have lost track of how many of these people we really need," he said.

A statutory cap limits the number of H-1B visas that can be issued each year to 65,000. If supporters want the cap raised, they would have to seek changes from Congress.