Imminent threat to online poker -- please call your Congressperson

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

I know that we try and avoid poker-related discussion in this forum, but I also know that a lot of people that read OOT don't spend much time browsing the strategy forums.

What's going on:

Majority Leader Frist is attempting to attach provisions of the Leach bill, which would prevent banks from processing gambling-related transactions, to a "must-pass" Department of Defense Authorization bill that is currently in conference between select members of the House and the Senate. Our fate is going to be determined by these committee members, a list of which I've linked to here, in conjunction with leadership members like Senator Frist. The bill that emerges from the conference committee is overwhelmingly likely to become public law. If that bill contains provisions on internet gambling, those will become law.

Who to call:

The list I've linked to is sorted by state. The best person to contact is a senator from your state, or a represenative from your distict, who serves on the conference committee. If you have multiple congresspersons who serve meet this criteria, call each of them. The next best option is probably to contact a representative on the conference committee who serves in your state, but not in your district.

What to say:

- I am a {Republican/Democratic} voter in your {state/district}. (I would only mention your party affiliation if it corresponds with that of the congressperson. If you are a veteran or reservist, or have a son/daughter/father/brother who serves in the military, I might also mention that.)

- I oppose Senator Frist's effort to attach provisions on internet gambling to the Department of Defense Authorization bill.

- Internet gambling is a complex issue that deserves to be debated before the full light of day in the Senate.

- It is particularly inappropriate to attach extraneous language to a defense bill, where it jeopardizes pay raises for our troops in a time of war.

- Congress should instead work to tax and regulate gambling over the Internet, as it does other forms of gambling like lotteries and horse racing.

When to call:

ASAP. Leave a message over the weekend and follow up again on Monday when staff will be in the office. This issue is going to be decided in the early days of this upcoming week.

For more information:

Visit the Legislation forum.

thanks,
Nate