For immediate release

Contact: Jeff Lungren/Terry Shawn

January 14, 2004

202-225-2492

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.) released the following statement regarding yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court decision in Verizon v. Trinko:

“I am pleased that the Court has unequivocally upheld the antitrust savings clause contained in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. In doing so, it affirms the central role of Congress in setting antitrust and telecommunications policy. It also rejects the efforts of some lower courts to read the savings clause out of the law. As I have said from the outset, Congress intended that all parties in the telecommunications industry would be subject to the antitrust laws, and yesterday’s decision confirms that central principle.

“At the same time, however, I am concerned that the Court’s finding that the complaint in this case did not state a claim under Section 2 of the Sherman Act will be perceived as giving a green light to all manner of anticompetitive behavior by the Bells. Let me assure all concerned, that while I am continuing to digest that part of the opinion, there is no such green light. The Committee on the Judiciary will continue to vigorously exercise its traditional oversight role in encouraging competition in all industries. It will not hesitate to develop legislative responses to competitive problems that may arise as a result of this decision.”