Back in the Telecom/Internet saddle

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It may become cost-effective at some point to install a row of lockers in the green room of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet. The names above the lockers will read Martin, Copps, Adelstein, Tate and McDowell. They'll all likely be back there again next week. Ed Markey (D-MA) has plenty of seniority in the still-new House Democratic majority, and he had committee-assignment options at the beginning of the year, but could not resist getting this subcommittee back. And he has made the most of his tenure.


"Oversight of the Federal Communications Commission – Part 2" is the name of next week's session. Markey has booked Room 2123 in the Rayburn House Office Building for 9:30 AM on Tuesday, 7/24/07 for the session. As a reminder, the Senate Commerce Committee will be examining progress made thus far on the DTV transition, on Thursday, 7/26/07 at 10AM.

SmartMedia observation: Although no details have been announced, Markey has recently expressed concern about several items. He and Energy & Commerce Committee chair John Dingell (D-MI) sent FCC Chair Kevin Martin numerous questions to ponder regarding the ins and outs of private equity ownership of communications companies; Markey has expressed concern about the childhood obesity epidemic and its juncture with FCC policy; and a little further back, Markey and Dingell have also expressed concern about the progress of the DTV transition. These topics may well come up, along with who knows what else.