Senators Will Scrutinize Comcast-NBC Deal After Health Care and Climate Change

WASHINGTON, December 8, 2009 – Legislation dealing with the health care system and the upcoming climate change summit in Copenhagen are only providing executives at Comcast and NBC-Universal a brief respite from oversight on their proposed merger, senators said on Tuesday.

The Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet will hold hearings on the proposed merger, said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, during a brief interview.

Kerry, who chairs the subcommittee, took a break from answering questions on the health care bill currently before the Senate to deliver an emphatic "yes" when asked if he planned to call hearings to examine the deal.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.V., said the only reason he has not yet scheduled hearings on the merger is the amount of his time the health bill has taken up. Nevertheless, Rockefeller was adamant the deal would get a close look once the package clears the Senate - and executives will have some hard questions to answer.

"I've got some worries," Rockefeller said.