NEWS                                                     October 22, 1998

                                     
                  STATEMENT OF CHAIRMAN WILLIAM KENNARD 
                         ON FCC'S FY 1999 BUDGET 


I am delighted with the $192 million that the Commission received for its FY 1999 budget.  I
am particularly grateful to Senators Stevens, Gregg and Hollings and Representatives
Livingston, Rogers and Mollohan, and their staffs, for their support and hard work.  This
funding is critical to enable the FCC to fulfill its statutory mandate and respond to the
important and dynamic issues before us at this time. Also, I am pleased that Congress passed
the Y2K supplemental funding and I look forward to working with OMB on meeting the
FCC's needs in this area.  With respect to the FCC's planned relocation to the Portals
building, we will continue to work with GSA on the unresolved issue of increased rent and
associated costs.


                                  - FCC -