mantra21
04-05-2006, 12:24 AM
Dear Mr. ******
Thank you for contacting me about Internet gambling, and to show your opposition to the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, H.R. 4777. I appreciate hearing from you.
First, you will be pleased to know that I am not a cosponsor of H.R. 4777. As you may know, this legislation would amend the federal code regarding current prohibitions against interstate gambling, including gambling via the Internet. Under H.R. 4777, any person engaged in a gambling business would be prohibited from using a communication facility to transmit any type of bets or wagers. In addition, this bill would prohibit anyone engaged in a gambling business from accepting, with the transmission of bets and wagers, credit, electronic funds transfers, checks, drafts, or the proceeds of any other form of financial transaction as prescribed by Treasury regulations. Furthermore, H.R. 4777 would require any common carrier notified in writing that a user of its communication service has violated these prohibitions be discontinued service. At this time, H.R. 4777 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am not a member. I will be sure to keep your views in mind should I have the opportunity to vote on this legislation on the House floor.
I certainly understand your desire for law abiding adults to engage in legal gambling. As you now, currently most state and federal laws prohibit most forms of Internet gambling. Internet gambling became an issue in the Republican leadership's version of intelligence reform legislation (the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act) because many Members of Congress, as well as the Department of Justice were concerned that some of the bill's ambiguities might allow terrorists to use Internet gambling mechanisms to launder or transfer their funds. The September 11th Commission recommended that a central part of U.S. counterterrorism efforts should be to track terrorist financing. Eventually, both Republicans and Democrats alike recognized that the ambiguous language on Internet gambling harmed the panel's recommendations, and the Internet gambling provision was removed from the bill by the Republican leadership.
The FBI and the Department of Justice have warned of the vulnerability of Internet gambling sites to money laundering activity by organized crimes and international terrorist organizations as well as identify theft and credit card fraud. From a national security standpoint, we must consider how to prevent terrorists from using different mediums to transfer money that could be used to harm our country.
Please continue to contact me about the issues that concern you, as I both need and welcome your thoughts and ideas. As a service to my constituents, I maintain a website which contains valuable resources and information on Congressional activities. Please feel free to visit the website at http://www.house.gov/inslee for information on recent issues and to learn more about the services my office provides. If you have not done so already, please visit http://www.house.gov/inslee/signup.htm to subscribe to my e-mail updates.
I encourage you to contact me via email, telephone, or fax, because security measures are causing House offices to experience delays in receiving postal mail. My email address is: Jay.Inslee@mail.house.gov. Please be sure to include your full name and address, including your zip code, in your message.
Very truly yours,
JAY INSLEE
Member of Congress
Thank you for contacting me about Internet gambling, and to show your opposition to the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, H.R. 4777. I appreciate hearing from you.
First, you will be pleased to know that I am not a cosponsor of H.R. 4777. As you may know, this legislation would amend the federal code regarding current prohibitions against interstate gambling, including gambling via the Internet. Under H.R. 4777, any person engaged in a gambling business would be prohibited from using a communication facility to transmit any type of bets or wagers. In addition, this bill would prohibit anyone engaged in a gambling business from accepting, with the transmission of bets and wagers, credit, electronic funds transfers, checks, drafts, or the proceeds of any other form of financial transaction as prescribed by Treasury regulations. Furthermore, H.R. 4777 would require any common carrier notified in writing that a user of its communication service has violated these prohibitions be discontinued service. At this time, H.R. 4777 has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, of which I am not a member. I will be sure to keep your views in mind should I have the opportunity to vote on this legislation on the House floor.
I certainly understand your desire for law abiding adults to engage in legal gambling. As you now, currently most state and federal laws prohibit most forms of Internet gambling. Internet gambling became an issue in the Republican leadership's version of intelligence reform legislation (the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act) because many Members of Congress, as well as the Department of Justice were concerned that some of the bill's ambiguities might allow terrorists to use Internet gambling mechanisms to launder or transfer their funds. The September 11th Commission recommended that a central part of U.S. counterterrorism efforts should be to track terrorist financing. Eventually, both Republicans and Democrats alike recognized that the ambiguous language on Internet gambling harmed the panel's recommendations, and the Internet gambling provision was removed from the bill by the Republican leadership.
The FBI and the Department of Justice have warned of the vulnerability of Internet gambling sites to money laundering activity by organized crimes and international terrorist organizations as well as identify theft and credit card fraud. From a national security standpoint, we must consider how to prevent terrorists from using different mediums to transfer money that could be used to harm our country.
Please continue to contact me about the issues that concern you, as I both need and welcome your thoughts and ideas. As a service to my constituents, I maintain a website which contains valuable resources and information on Congressional activities. Please feel free to visit the website at http://www.house.gov/inslee for information on recent issues and to learn more about the services my office provides. If you have not done so already, please visit http://www.house.gov/inslee/signup.htm to subscribe to my e-mail updates.
I encourage you to contact me via email, telephone, or fax, because security measures are causing House offices to experience delays in receiving postal mail. My email address is: Jay.Inslee@mail.house.gov. Please be sure to include your full name and address, including your zip code, in your message.
Very truly yours,
JAY INSLEE
Member of Congress