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Details a bill (S 12), overwhelmingly passed by the Senate on January 31, 1992, which would impose rate service regulation on the cable TV industry. Congress's deregulation of the now-$20 billion industry in 1984; The cable industry's strong opposition to the program-access provisions; Veto threat from the Bush administration; What the bill would do; Competition; Direct broadcast satellite services; Obscene and violent programming; Details.

Forecasts the debate which will ensue when the Senate, on the week of January 27th, takes up a bill to rein in the cable television industry, a $20 billion media giant viewed by 61 percent of the TV audience. The battle between the beleaguered broadcast and the burgeoning cable industries; The cable bill's attempt to regulate cable rates where effective market opposition is lacking; Lawmaker's short-term efforts; More. INSET: Senate highlights.;Media wars..

Reviews the bill (HR 2950, H Rept 102-404, PL 102-240) which President George Bush signed into law on December 18th which will authorize $151 billion in highway and mass transit programs for the next six years. The origins of the bill and its travels through Congress; Spending and finances; Highway programs; Safety grant programs; Mass transit programs; Tolls; Formula grants; Other issues; Trucking initiatives; Miscellaneous action.

Details Congress's November 27th clearance for President George Bush of a landmark $151 billion, six-year plan (HR 2950) to overhaul the nation's highways and mass transit systems, largely ceding federal control over such programs to states and cities. The expansion of the Interstate network with a new national highway system; The highway bill's funding; The payback program; More. INSET: A detailed road map through...the provisions of the highway....

Discusses the different upbringings of two sweeping surface transportation bills (HR 2950, S 1204) which will be married in conference committee the week of November 4, 1991. Lists the House and Senate language of the bill, including: Surface transportation spending and finances, highways, mass transit, research and development, trucking initiatives, and environmental and scenic issues. Details.

Details the Senate's five-year, $123 billion reauthorization of surface transportation programs (S 1204--S Rept 102-71) that would make several departures from current federal highway and mass transit policy. Creation of one `surface transportation program'; States given flexibility; Up to House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees to spend the money; Major provisions of the bill as passed.

Explores the explosion of `demonstration projects' approved by Congress in recent highway authorization and transportation spending bills. West Virginia's share of funds; Path of history; New rules of the road; Pros and cons of demonstrations; Efforts by the states; Turf battles; Hopes for highway system; Details. INSET: Taking the lead..

Elaborates on the two provisions that Congress and the Bush administration are pushing as part of this year's effort to reauthorize surface transportation programs (S 965, HR 1351): using federal highway dollars to build toll roads and allowing rush-hour tolls to be imposed on congested cities. Economists' solution; Remaining detractors; New state leeway; No toll outbreak; Double taxation. INSET: Efforts to commercialize rest areas has businesses crying....

Addresses the conflict between the White House plans to build more highways and others suggesting getting more people out of cars. Mass Transit Administration; Transit has no national significance; Bush-Skinner transportation plan as highway-heavy; Lobbyists to descend upon Capitol Hill March 10; Transportation at top of domestic agenda; Transit bailout; Handling of mass transit funds; Transit vs. highways; Flexibility debate; More.

Addresses Bell company's push to be allowed to manufacture telecommunications equipment and offer information services ranging from data processing and electronic publishing to video programming. Lobbying video; Pivotal year; Judge Harold H. Greene; Court-ordered information services ban; Question of how gradually to lift the ban; Decadelong fight; Legislation; More. INSET: Getting industries to communicate; Bells put a price on fiber....

Details the efforts and problems of Samuel K. Skinner in his attempt to overhaul next year's highway bill. Stresses road repair and gridlock relief; More flexibility for states and private investment; Suspicions of key members of Congress; Preservation of the status quo; Linking the states, a lawmaker's dream; Skinner's five-year plan; Lifting ban against using federal aid to build toll roads; More. INSET: Skinner's gamble; Formula face-off.;Battleground of rails and....

Considers the Highway Trust Fund that was set up to provide a reliable revenue source for road and airport projects--paid for by taxes on users themselves. Set up 35 years ago by President Dwight D. Eisenhower; `Sanctity' of funds has eroded; Trust funds reduced to bookkeeping maneuvers; Congressional budget package; Breach of faith and confidence; Federal Highway Administration (FHwA); Myth of the trust fund; Accounting matters; New proposals; Budgetary negotiations; More.

Examines the tight squeeze on the overly crowded radio spectrum. Problem for entrepreneur Peter Dolan and his US satellite company; Federal Communications Commission (FCC); Many entrepreneurs share Dolan's problem; Helping to ease the spectrum shortage; Sharing the spectrum; Threat of technology; Airwave revenue; Public interest; Public responsibilities. INSET: Private sector sets pace..

Discusses the ways CD-ROM is being used in the AEC marketplace. Information storage; CD-ROM standards; Applications for architects, designers, and engineers; CAD files on CD-ROM; Upcoming applications; System requirements; CD-ROM references.

Covers the campaign contributions which three media powerhouses (cable industry, broadcasting industry and Hollywood) have given to 1992 congressional campaigns as Congress moves to slap controls on cable prices and to spur competition. Amount of contributions given to incumbents and Democrats; Top House recipients; The House Energy and Commerce Committee's bill (HR 4850) to impose new restrictions on cable; The Senate bill (S 12) More.

Discusses the Energy and Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee's expected markup of a bill (unnumbered) on March 31, and April 1, 1992 that would re-regulate the cable television industry. Republicans' attempts to weaken the bill's regular revisions; The Senate companion bill (S 12); New federal controls on the price of basic cable service; More competition; Watchdog groups to monitor cable companies; More. INSET: The video marketplace (claims to the cable market)..

Discusses the Senate's passing of the transportation appropriation bill (HR 2942--S Rept 102-148) initiated by Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D.- W.Va.). Where the $14.4 billion would be used; Sen. Robert C. Smith's (R.- N.H.) negative reaction; The Senate's negative vote on a gasoline tax increase; Other House and Senate differences. INSET: Byrd's eye view (Byrd's vow to steer $1 billion towards W. Va.).

Explores how, facing the likelihood of an embarrassing defeat over raising the gasoline tax, House Democratic leaders Aug. 1 pulled from the floor calendar a $153.5 billion highway bill that they had hoped to complete before their summer recess.Fate of five-year reauthorization measure (HR 2950) uncertain; Political blow to Speaker Thomas S. Foley; Applying pressure; A missed opportunity. INSET: A look down the road, by M. Mills..

Discusses the $123 billion, five-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs (S 1204) which would give states more money and unprecedented flexibility to spend funds as they please on the nation's highways, bridges, and mass transit systems. Passed Senate June 19; President George Bush's criticisms; Ten days of floor debate over money; Departing from tenets of the past; State vs. state; Details. INSET: A look ahead to the House.;A long haul for Moynihan..

Addresses the bitter fight over how much federal highway funding each state would receive that prevented the Senate from completing action on a sweeping overhaul of federal transportation policy the week of June 10. Endorsing President George Bush's proposal for a new national highway system; Amendment by Robert C. Byrd; Donor states' quandary; National highway system; Provisions; Details. INSET: A good sign for the billboard lobby, by M. Angle & M. Mills.;A....

Elaborates on the war that Sen. John W. Warner has vowed to start between the states over formulas that routinely leave Virginia and up to 20 other states paying more money into the Highway Trust Fund than they take out in highway projects. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, author of a sweeping highway bill (S 965); Warner, ranking member on Armed Services Committee; Warner's tough task; Statistics as weapons; Details. INSET: Transit bill moves forward..

Discusses the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee's approval on May 22 of a five-year surface transportation bill that would radically alter federal highway policy. Victory for environmentalists and urban planners; Biggest battle remains over reauthorization bill (S 965); Emphasis on state flexibility; Overhaul of Clean Air Act played a key role; Ban on double- and triple-combination trucks; Reduce federal government's role. INSET: Surface transportation..

Examines the controversy about consumer prices and service that has been a driving force behind efforts in Congress to regulate the cable industry anew. Lawmakers' leaders in action; Return some control over rates and service to local level; Proponents' troubles; Deregulated in 1984; Measuring vitriol; Political setbacks; Railing against price increases; Cable industry defends rates; How regulations would work. INSET: The proposals..

Reports that to combat fraud and deception in the burgeoning arena of `pay-per-call' services, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed sweeping new rules March 14. Adult `chat' and soap opera updates; Mortgage rates and legal advice;Require a preamble that warns callers of cost; Fast-growing industry; 900-number scams; Federal jurisdiction; Self-regulation of the industry; Privacy issues; More. INSET: Fundraising may be next..

Reports that election 1990 sent record numbers of women and blacks to the House, although both will remain under-represented in comparison with their proportions of the population. History of women in the Senate; Future expectations of women in the Senate; History of blacks in the Senate; Women in leadership; Average ages of members of Congress; Occupations of members of Congress.

Addresses the comparatively tame re-regulation of cable TV, reached after a year of haggling with all the interested parties. On the fast-track calendar; To carry most local commercial and public TV stations and government access channels as a basic tier service; Monitoring by local authorities; National Cable Television Association; Growth attributed to deregulation; Bipartisan support in Senate; Cable's clout; Not tough enough for some; More.

Anticipates the House Energy and Commerce Committee's approval of a substantially weakened bill (HR 4850), on June 16, 1992, aimed at imposing new regulations on the powerful cable television industry. The twofold goals of the bill: to help consumers by slashing rates for basic cable services and to help broadcasters, the satellite dish industry and other competitors gain a foot-hold in the cable-dominated market; Retransmission consent; Program access; More.

Details the Senate's approval of bill (S 1504) that would authorize a 50 per cent increase in funding for public broadcasting. Complaints that public radio and television programming is rife with `elitism, sweetheart deals and one-sided partisanship'; The Senate's rejection of Trent Lott's (R-Miss.) amendment to keep authorized levels for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) at $275 million a year; Other amendments; More. INSET: An unlikely champion..

Considers the reasons why three House Democrats opposed their party's cable reregulation bill, crafted by Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), in an April 8, 1992 subcommittee markup. Bill Richardson (D-N.M.) and the political action committee (PAC) contributions he received from the cable industry; Desires of New York Democrats Thomas J. Manton and James H. Scheuer to help cable giant Time Warner Inc., a major employer in their home district; More.

Examines the House Energy and Commerce Telecommunications Subcommittee's adoption of a Democratic plan (unnumbered) on April 8, 1992 to impose new rate and program regulations on the cable television industry. Bill's provisions: the requirement of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to set rates for basic cable service and the ban on cable-affiliated programmers from unreasonable refusing to sell programming to cable competitors; Rejection of citizen watchdog groups; More.

Notes that a bill (unnumbered) that would rein in cable television rates was endangered the week of March 30, 1992 after several Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance joined panel Republicans to opposethe bill's strong regulatory medicine. Action by a House Judiciary subcommittee on a related bill (HR 4511) which could imperil the Energy and Commerce bill; The Senate cable bill (S 12); More.

Announces that the Senate has approved a bill (S 12) that would lower cable television rates and improve competition to the industry. Progress of a similar bill in the House; President George Bush's promised veto threat on any bill that imposes new regulations on cable; The Energy and Commerce Committee's cable re-regulation bill; Dividing revenues from local-signal payment to the cable industry; The copyright system; Cable lobbyists; Supporters of the bill; More.

Details the state of infrastructure improvement, which is among the more popular proposals for lifting the nation out of its economic slumber. The Bush administration's expediting to states about $10 billion of the fiscal 1992 highway money provided in last year's highway and mass transit legislation (PL 102-240); Economists' support of increased infrastructure improvements; Job estimates by the Federal Highway Administration; More. INSET: The courthouse and highway cuts..

Scrutinizes United States President George Bush's plan to impose a 90-day moratorium on new regulations which would halt new federal rules and call for a review of rules governing environmental, financial, food, transportation, safety, labor and communication policy. Critics' assault of the plan as an election-year ploy designed to gather business sympathy and campaign contributions; Concerns of environmental and consumer groups; More.

Notes President George Bush's nomination of Transportation Secretary Samuel K. Skinner to be the White House chief of staff, replacing John H. Sununu who offered his resignation in a letter to the president on December 3rd. December 16th, Skinner's first day; The abortion policy; Popularity of Skinner; The highway bill; Sununu's legacy.

Follows lawmakers during the week of November 18th as they searched for a politically acceptable way to revise decades-old formulas for doling out federal dollars to states while they raced to finish a sweeping highway and mass transit bill (HR 2950) before adjourning. The urban East vs. the rural West; Conferees focus on the structure of federal transportation programs; Details.

Applauds House and Senate negotiators November 14th agreement to make the surface transportation authorization bill (HR 2950) a six-year, $151 billion measure, which will give big boosts to highway and mass transit programs. Conferees' hopes of sending the bill to President George Bush before adjournment; Abandonment of the Senate bill's five-year, $124 billion scope; White House opposition of the financing mechanism in the House bill; Priorities of each chamber; Details.

Discusses the October 23, 1991 overwhelming approval by the House to pass a $151 billion highway and mass transit bill (HR 3566) and the bumpy road which lies ahead. Possible White House veto threats and a potential bruising conference with the Senate; Sweeping changes in federal transportation policy; Resolved controversies; What the revised bill would do; Other amendments; Details. INSET: House, Senate Version, by M. Mills..

Considers the benefits New Jersey, New York, Michigan and Florida drivers will reap from the $139.8 million approval by Congress for high-technology highway projects intended to ease traffic congestion and cut safety problems. The funds for the project are included in the $14.3 billion fiscal 1992 transportation appropriations bill (HR 2942--H Rept 102-243). Automobile industry's, telecommunication firm's and state government's finance of the project; More.

Considers the House scheduling for floor consideration on October 23, 1991, of the $151 billion, six-year surface transportation reauthorization bill (HR 2950) which would infuse state highway departments and their mass transit systems with new money to rebuild and maintain the nation's roads, bridges and bus and rail systems. Senate-passed version of the bill, (S 1204); Veto threat; Details. INSET: Highway highlights (key features of the bill)..

Considers a bill (HR 2950) unveiled on October 10, 1991, by the leaders of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee to revamp highway and mass transit programs. Bush administration's veto threat; The Highway Trust Fund; Highway construction boost.

Discusses a transportation appropriations bill (HR 2942) passed by the House and Senate that would require truckers, mass transit workers and airline employees to face more stringent drug-testing and safety rules, ban interstate truckers and bus drivers from using radar detectors, and bolster inspections of aging aircraft. Spending from the Highway Trust Fund; Random drug and alcohol testing for transportation workers; Details. INSET: Gunfight at the Texas corral..

Elaborates on House lawmakers' five-year overhaul of federal transportation policy (HR 2950), which would reauthorize the nation's surface transportation programs, putting more emphasis on highway upgrading than did a similar bill (S 1204). Where the bill goes next; Similarities and differences to the Senate bill; Updating old programs. INSET: Seeking a safety net for highways..

Elaborates on the nation's seven Bell telephone companies' first legislative victory in which the Senate voted to let the regional firms design and manufacture telecommunications equipment. Bill S 173; Gain a better competitive edge in global telecommunications; Lawmakers willing to ease some restrictions; 1984 consent decrees that broke up American Telephone & Telegraph Co. (AT&T); Major setback for AT&T; Commerce Committee Chairman Ernest F. Hollings' bill; Details; More.

Elaborates on the US Fish and Wildlife Service's proposal on April 29 declaring 11.6 million acres of Washington, Oregon and Northern California forest as `critical habitat' needed for the survival of the owl. Curtailing and even prohibiting logging in those areas; Threaten to disrupt many communities; Increased burden on Congress to settle the issue; Rep. Bruce F. Vento's bill; Timber Industry Labor-Management Committee; Shifting the debate; Complying with Endangered Species Act.

Reports on the outlook for the fiscal 1992 transportation spending bill that an appropriations subcommittee will be marking up this month. House chairman, William Lehman; Senate chairman, Frank R. Lautenberg; Other members; New, five-year authorization bills for highway and mass transit programs; House Public Works and Transportation Committee; Timing of authorization-appropriation process could prove delicate; Mass transit advocates scramble for dollars; Aviation spending.

Reports that the Bush administration Feb. 13 unveiled a five-year, $105 billion plan to build on and maintain the nation's roads and mass transit. Mixed reviews from staff officials; Provisions; Transportation Secretary Samuel K. Skinner; House Public Works and Transportation Committee's primary jurisdiction over the highway bill; Expiration Sept. 30 of authority for highway and mass transit programs; Complaints that the proposal offers no growth.

Addresses Transportation Secretary Samuel K. Skinner's push for a new national highway system. Skinner's popularity may help him; Post-Interstate transportation policy; Five-year plan; Promotional tour; Office of Management and Budget and Skinner's budget proposal; Reality of obtaining the necessary funds.