New England Congressional Delegation Raises Concerns with FCC Over Verizon Deal

Contact:  Rand Wilson (617) 803-0799 and rwilson@aflcio.org

Washington, D.C. – The entire U.S. House of Representatives delegation for Northern New England has called on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to carefully review the proposed sale of Verizon's landlines in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and to hold off on making any decision approving the sale until after the three states have done so.

Before the sale can be completed it must be approved by regulators in all three states and the FCC.

The letter was signed by Rep. Thomas Allen (D-ME), Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH), Rep. Michael Michaud (D-ME), Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT). 

In their September 26 letter to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, the Representatives asked the FCC to "conduct a thorough and extensive review of the proposed transaction to ensure that it is in the best interest of consumers, employees, and state and local economies."

They also requested that the FCC "defer making a final decision about the transaction until all three state regulatory agencies have ruled on its merits." A decision in the states will likely come at the end of the year. 

Copies of the letter are available from Rand Wilson at the above number or by email to rwilson@aflcio.org.  More information about the campaign to Stop the Sale is on www.stop-the-sale.org and www.no-deal.org.