 |
| Wilson-Green Spam Bill Heard On Hill |
July 17, 2003 |
| |
| Bipartisan Coalition Wants to `Delete` Spam
Washington, DC - Representatives Heather Wilson (R-NM-01) and Gene Green (D-TX-29) want to see a Spam Bill with real teeth. Today, they took their case to two Energy and Commerce Subcommittees in an effort to move their bill through the House to press one big delete key on spammers.
"The Internet has changed the way we communicate. Now, grandparents routinely get the latest grandkid news and photos through quick e-mails, and commerce is conducted at light speed," said Wilson. "As consumers, we should have the power to stop getting junk e-mail on our computers or on computers used by our children. Some estimate that more than a third of junk e-mail-or more-is pornographic. But parents are helpless to stop the junk from entering their home."
The Wilson-Green Anti-Spam Act affords consumers greater control over their "in boxes" by giving them the ability to opt-out from all commercial email. The bill was heard today in a joint hearing by the `Internet and Telecommunications` and `Consumer` subcommittees. The Act also provides the FTC, Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and Internet service providers (ISPs) strong tools to vigorously enforce the Act.
Green`s and Wilson`s bipartisan effort has also attracted the support of the ranking members of the Energy and Commerce and Judiciary Committees. Rep. John D. Dingell (D-MI-15), the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI-14), the ranking member of the Judiciary Committee, joined Green and Republican Wilson as original cosponsors when the bill was introduced last month. The bill now has 56 co-sponsors, including a majority of members of the Energy and Commerce Committee.
"Spam is in the eye of the beholder and the bottom line is consumers have a right to refuse email they don`t want," said Green, a Texas Democrat who represents much of the city of Houston.
Says Wilson, "The legislation that Rep. Green and I have put together will give parents and consumers real power to say enough is enough and close their inbox to annoying and obscene junk email. Our spam legislation closes loopholes and gives regulators and service providers the ability to enforce spam restrictions. This bill has some teeth."
"For years, Rep. Wilson and I have been working to help consumers stop spam. Spam isn`t a partisan issue; we need to attack the problem of billions of deceptive, often pornographic emails together," Green says. "A strong opt-out right for consumers and protection for children is smart, tough, and fair."
Dingell and Conyers are high-ranking Democrats in the House who believe the Wilson-Green approach to spam is the most effective of all the measures currently considered in the House.
"Consumers are being inundated with spam containing everything from computer viruses to get rich quick schemes to pornography. This bill will go a long way toward eliminating this insidious problem," said Dingell, ranking Democrat on the Congressional committee which oversees telecommunications issues. Wilson and Green serve on that committee, Energy and Commerce, with Dingell.
Wilson and Green introduced Anti-Spam legislation in the 106th Congress. The bill sailed through the House by a vote of 427-1, but stalled in the Senate. The lawmakers teamed up again in February 2001 to introduce similar legislation, with more than 50 original co-sponsors. That legislation was scheduled for floor debate on September 12, 2001, but took a backseat after America was attacked on 9/11.
Wilson and Green are once again ready to stop spam. Studies show the problem hasn`t slowed in recent years, and Wilson says the situation is untenable.
A recent spam study chartered by internet security provider Symantec Corp. found that 4 out 5 kids ages 7 to 18 receive inappropriate spam touting get-rich-quick schemes, loan programs, and pornographic materials. A majority of the 1,000 children interviewed for the survey said they felt "uncomfortable and offended when seeing improper e-mail content." Almost half received e-mails with links to pornographic Web sites and 62% received spam touting dating services.
"Our bill eliminates loopholes that allow spammers to evade federal requirements and deceive consumers. We will then beef up enforcement by the FTC, the States, and Internet providers, so that when spammers break the law, they pay $10-$500 per email. The worst violators could end up in jail," said Green.
The Wilson-Green Anti-Spam Act:
affords consumers the ability to opt-out of unwanted commercial email;
requires companies to promptly comply with a consumers opt-out request;
prohibits fraudulent email and protects consumers from sexually-oriented messages; and
contains tough civil and criminal enforcement provisions.
-END- |
|
|
|