FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, JANUARY 25, 1999
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STATEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

WASHINGTON, D.C. ­ The Department of Justice issued the following statement in response to today's Supreme Court's decision in the Iowa Utilities Board case:

Today's decision is an important victory for the FCC and the Department of Justice. More importantly, it is a victory for American consumers. The decision clarifies many of the ground rules for local competition under the 1996 Telecommunications Act. Now that the Supreme Court has unequivocally upheld most of the FCC's local competition rules, consumers can anticipate an acceleration of the movement to a more competitive local telephone marketplace.

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