Congressman drops drive for telecommunication bill

Rep. Timothy E. Wirth (D) Colorado gave up his fight Tuesday to win approval of a comprehensive telecommunication bill strongly opposed by the American Telephone & Telegraph Company.

Representative Wirth, blaming AT&T for blocking the bill, conceded defeat at the opening of the seventh day of consideration of the bill by the full Commerce Committee. The legislation would grant to AT&T's 22 regional telephone companies many of the enterprises that are now reserved for AT&T under a proposed consent decree with the Justice Department agreed to in January.