STATEMENT BY KALPAK GUDE
VICE PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS PANAMSAT CORPORATION

November 10, 1999

Regarding House Passage of H.R. 3261, the "Communications Satellite Competition and Privatization Act of 1999."

"PanAmSat commends the House's passage of H.R. 3261. PanAmSat has long supported congressional efforts to reform an international satellite industry dominated by governmental organizations. The House action sets in play the next step in the process ‚ a conference with the Senate to reconcile the two bills.

"PanAmSat appreciates the assiduous efforts of Chairman Bliley, Congressman Tauzin and Congressman Markey, and their staffs, in forging a consensus to move this bill forward as expeditiously as possible. Many people have worked diligently at crafting a bipartisan bill. It signals a new era for a pro-competitive international satellite industry, which will reduce costs for the American consumer and improve access to foreign markets for the U.S. satellite communications industry.

"H.R. 3261 offers the firm and explicit guidelines that PanAmSat considers as critical to an acceptable, pro-competitive Intelsat privatization.

"PanAmSat is pleased that the House bill offers a comprehensive package of incentives for Intelsat to privatize in a way that will bring about true competition. Enactment of H.R. 3261 will benefit many competitive companies and their customers, by creating a robustly competitive international satellite communications market. The bill would also make Comsat a private company without the legal immunities and benefits that it has enjoyed. It would also free Comsat of restrictions imposed in 1962 and would permit Lockheed Martin, or any other company, to acquire a normalized Comsat.

"PanAmSat applauds Chairman Bliley for his tireless efforts in the House to craft a balanced and fair bill, and urges conferees to support the House version of satellite reform legislation."

PanAmSat is the world's leading commercial provider of global satellite-based communications services. The company operates a global network of 19 satellites supported by PanAmSat professionals on five continents. These resources enable PanAmSat to provide video and telecommunications services to hundreds of customers worldwide. PanAmSat plans to launch seven additional satellites by mid-2001. For more information on the company and its services, visit the PanAmSat web site at http://www.panamsat.com.