This document provides the text of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, legislation enacted "to promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for American telecommunications consumers and encourage the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies." The legislation contains measures concerning: (1) company eligibility and exemptions affecting customer access and the development of competitive markets in telecommunications services; (2) ownership and licensing of broadcast services; (3) cable services, specifically video programming services provided by telephone companies; (4) regulatory reform; (5) criminal penalties for obscene or wrongful use of telecommunications facilities, and options for screening offensive material; (6) effects on other laws; and (7) miscellaneous provisions including recognition of the National Education Technology Funding Corporation which establishes criteria for encouraging states to maintain high capacity networks capable of providing audio, visual, and data communications for elementary and secondary schools and public libraries. (BEW)