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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974). 
 FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 July  12,  2001  Michael  Balmoris  202-  418-  0253 
 Email:  mbalmori@  fcc.  gov 


 FCC  INITIATES  PROCEEDING  TO  STREAMLINE  REQUESTS  FOR  ACQUISITIONS  OF  CORPORATE  CONTROL 
 Inquiry  Seeks  Comment  on  the  Types  of  Applications 
 That  Should  be  Eligible  for  Streamlined  Treatment 


 Washington,  D.  C.  –  Today,  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC) 
 adopted  a  Declaratory  Ruling  and  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  that  proposes 
 streamlined  treatment  for  transfer  of  domestic  interstate  transmission  lines  through 
 acquisitions  of  corporate  control  where,  based  upon  a  predetermined  criteria,  it  would 
 require  little  scrutiny  for  the  Commission  to  determine  that  grant  of  the  application  would 
 serve  the  public  interest. 


 Today’s  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  seeks  comment  on  a  broad  range  of 
 proposals  in  order  to  assist  the  FCC  in  developing  standards  that  would  balance  the 
 applicants’  need  for  simplicity,  predictability,  and  speed  against  the  Commission’s  duties 
 under  the  Communications  Act. 


 The  FCC  also  adopted  a  Declaratory  Ruling  which  clarifies  that,  except  for 
 connecting  carriers,  any  party,  including  non-  dominant  carriers,  that  “would  be  a 
 domestic  interstate  communications  common  carrier,”  whether  before  or  after  a  proposed 
 transaction,  must  obtain  Commission  approval  prior  to  consummating  a  transaction 
 involving  an  acquisition  of  corporate  control. 


 The  purpose  of  today's  Declaratory  Ruling  and  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking  is 
 to  provide  clarity  where  the  rules  have  proven  over  the  years  to  be  unclear,  and  to 
 develop  an  approach  that  minimizes  the  need  for  regulatory  intervention,  both  now  and  as 
 competition  in  telecommunications  markets  increases. 


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 In  addition  to  the  Declaratory  Ruling  and  Notice  of  Proposed  Rulemaking,  the 
 Common  Carrier  Bureau  will  also  issue  a  public  notice  clarifying  procedures  for  common 
 carriers  requiring  authorization  under  section  214  to  acquire  domestic  interstate 
 transmission  lines  through  an  acquisition  of  corporate  control. 


 -FCC-Docket 
 No.:  CC  01-  150 
 Action  by  the  Commission  July  12,  2001,  by  Declaratory  Ruling  and  Notice  of 
 Proposed  Rulemaking  (FCC  01-  205).  Chairman  Powell  and  Commissioners  Tristani, 
 Copps,  and  Martin  with  Commissioner  Abernathy  not  participating. 


 Common  Carrier  Bureau  Staff  Contacts: 
 Henry  Thaggert  (202)  418-  7941  or  Aaron  Goldberger  (202)  418-  1591 


 News  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  also  be  found 
 on  the  Commission’s  web  site  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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