The era of electronic enlightenment?

At this moment the US Federal Government is deeply involved in shaping the legislation which will direct the startling changes in the telecommunications industry. The ground rules which currently govern the industry are specified in the Communications Act of 1934. This law was passed when communications consisted of a basic black telephone and a teletypewriter-computers, lasers, and fiber optics were unimagined. This law, also is largely based on the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 which was designed to correct railroad abuses. Today the overwhelming sentiment in Washington is for change. Legislation is pending in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The President, NTIA, the IEEE, and Ralph Nader's Congress Watch all have expressed opinions and outlined courses of action. The author recently went to Washingtion and spoke to people from all of these organizations. In the following interview, Rep. Lionel Van Deerlin (D-CA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, discusses his views of the legislation known as the Communications Act of 1980 which his Committee is steering through the legislative process.