The wish list for the telecommunications industry is short for the few legislative weeks remaining in 2008.

That’s because the only technology legislation that stands a chance of being cleared before Congress wraps for the year addresses broadband mapping and health care information, according to Thomas J. Tauke, executive vice president of public affairs, policy and communications for Verizon.

But even those relatively non-controversial measures might not stand a chance in the September appropriations rush, Tauke said.

Broadband mapping seemed to be the issue the entire industry could get behind in 2008. A House broadband bill (HR 3919) passed by voice vote on Nov. 13. Senate leaders had hoped to hotline a similar measure sponsored by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii, but it was blocked by a Tom Coburn, R-Okla., hold.

A measure focusing on health care information technology (HR 6357) gained last-minute approval from the House Energy and Commerce panel before Congress departed for August. Verizon has some interest in the issue as a technology provider, but Tauke said today the carrier is mostly focused on pushing for the adoption of electronic health records because it spends over $4 billion per year on health care for its employees and retirees.

Jurisdictional issues in the House could prevent that bill from passing, however. House Ways and Means Committee lawmakers have said they want to mark up their own bill — one with stronger privacy protections.

In the end, though, it probably won’t matter much to Verizon whether broadband mapping or health care IT legislation clears by year’s end. “In the last four years, Congress hasn’t done a lot on telecommunications policy,” Tauke said. “And we’ve endorsed that.”