PPA suport of HR 2046 auto letter website

[Kraize]

I sent mine. Here is the response I got back from my lame representative.

Dear XXX:



Thank you for contacting me regarding legislation to prohibit gambling on the Internet. I appreciate the benefit of your views and the opportunity to update you on Congressional actions on this issue.



The 109th Congress considered two pieces of legislation dealing with Internet gambling. The first bill, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (H.R. 4777), would impose a five-year prison term on gambling businesses who take wagers or bets over the Internet or other wireless communication devices. H.R. 4777 was approved by the House Committee on the Judiciary on July 10, 2006, and referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for further consideration. I supported the intent of H.R. 4777, but I was concerned about some exceptions made within the bill. Specifically, I was concerned that certain industries, such as horse racing and intrastate lotteries, would be allowed to operate on the Internet beyond their current abilities if this legislation became law.



The second bill was H.R. 4411, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, which would cut off the money flow to online gambling sites. This bill directed the United States Treasury and the Federal Reserve to issue regulations that would help different types of financial institutions identify and block unlawful gambling over the Internet. For instance, credit card companies would be prohibited from approving a transaction between a U.S.-based customer account and an Internet gambling merchant.



The provisions of H.R. 4411 were included within H.R. 4954, the Security and Accountability For Every Port Act, which was overwhelmingly passed by both Houses of Congress on September 30, 2006, and signed into law by President Bush on October 13, 2006. I voted for this bill and hope that Congress and the President, working together, can put an end to the growth of online gambling. I have been troubled to witness a great innovative medium like the Internet being exploited to conduct illegal activities that are harmful to our society.



I believe the provisions included in H.R. 4954 are an important first step toward cracking down on illegal gambling. However, I would have supported stronger legislation that specifically banned Internet gambling on horse racing and intrastate lotteries. Additionaly, I would not support legislation that would weaken the law by creating exemptions for other forms of gambling such as poker. As this legislation is enacted and enforced by the Justice Department, I will monitor its impacts on all Internet gambling and, should additional action be necessary, act accordingly.



In the 110th Congress, legislation has been introduced that would reverse the prohibitions enacted in H.R. 4954. Specifically, H.R. 2046, introduced by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) would legalize and regulate Internet gambling. For the aforementioned reasons, I will not support this legislation, which currently awaits further consideration by the House Committees on Financial Services and Energy and Commerce.



While I regret that we disagree on this issue, I do appreciate the time and effort you took to share your point of view with me. If I may be of service on this or any other federal matter of interest in the future, please feel free to contact me.



Sincerely,

John T. Doolittle
Member of Congress