/PRNewswire/ -- Today the House Committee on Financial Services took a critical step forward in passing Internet gambling legislation by voting to approve the Internet Gambling Regulation and Consumer Protection and Enforcement Act (H.R. 2267), legislation introduced by Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA). The legislation, which passed by a 41-22 vote would regulate Internet gambling activity in the U.S. and require licensed operators to put in place safeguards to protect against underage and problem gambling.
"The Committee's bi-partisan vote to approve Chairman Frank's legislation is nothing short of historic," said Michael Waxman, spokesperson for the Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative. "With Congress bitterly divided and only a handful of bi-partisan bills coming out of the Financial Services Committee, we're pleased Committee members from both sides of the aisle were able to come together to advance this important legislation."
During today's mark-up there were several amendments introduced from both sides of the aisle. Rep. John Campbell (R-CA) offered, and the Committee approved, an amendment that would further strengthen the legislation's already strict consumer protections, including a requirement for licensed operators to have each customer choose his or her loss limits before being able to play on-line. Rep. Campbell's amendment also requires licensees to protect customers by ensuring the customer privacy and security and protecting against fraud and money laundering.
Chairman Frank's legislation, introduced in May 2009, would establish a regulatory and enforcement framework for licensed gambling operators to accept bets and wagers from individuals in the U.S. Beyond an array of required consumer protections, the legislation reinforces the rights of each state to determine whether or not to allow Internet gambling activity for people accessing the Internet within the state and to apply other restrictions on the activity as determined necessary.
As a companion to Rep. Frank's bill, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Tax Enforcement Act of 2010 (H.R. 4976) introduced by Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA) in March 2010, would ensure the collection of license fees and taxes on regulated Internet gambling activities.
Generating significant attention are the economic benefits of online gambling regulation. According to a Joint Committee on Taxation tax revenue analysis, regulated Internet gambling is expected to generate as much as $42 billion in federal government revenue over its first 10 years. Additionally, a recent analysis by H2 Gambling Capital predicts that Internet gambling regulation would create as many as 32,000 jobs over its first five years. There would also be additional economic benefits associated with jobs creation.
"The momentum of today's vote and growing bi-partisan support for online gambling regulation demonstrates to congressional leaders in the House and Senate that this issue is a priority and should be addressed," said Waxman. "Leaving in place a failed prohibition should no longer be the government's misguided policy approach, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable as they continue to find a way to gamble online in a thriving underground marketplace."
The legislation has drawn the support of 69 bi-partisan co-sponsors. Support for the legislation was also announced last week by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Financial Services Roundtable and the National Association of Federal Credit Unions.
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Showing posts with label passed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label passed. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Statement on Passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy
/PRNewswire/ -- Public Campaign issued the following statement today regarding the news that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) passed away:
"Senator Ted Kennedy was a giant of a public figure who shaped legislation that impacted people's lives in ways big and small. With today's roiling debate on health insurance reform, much attention will rightly be placed on Sen. Kennedy's legacy of leadership and passion on ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable, quality coverage.
"But among the other issues he championed over his career were those that expanded the promise of democracy for more people, including landmark civil rights and voting rights laws. Always ahead of his time, as early as 1973 and before the Watergate reforms the following year, Sen. Kennedy was working to pass forward-looking congressional public financing of elections legislation.
"Today, we offer our condolences to his family and friends, and join the citizens of Massachusetts and Americans in every corner of this nation in mourning the passing of one of the greatest little 'd' democrats of our time. Tomorrow, we pledge to continue to work towards his vision of a democracy that works for all of us."
Public Campaign is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to sweeping reform that aims to dramatically reduce the role of big special interest money in American politics. For more information, go to www.publicampaign.org.
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"Senator Ted Kennedy was a giant of a public figure who shaped legislation that impacted people's lives in ways big and small. With today's roiling debate on health insurance reform, much attention will rightly be placed on Sen. Kennedy's legacy of leadership and passion on ensuring that all Americans have access to affordable, quality coverage.
"But among the other issues he championed over his career were those that expanded the promise of democracy for more people, including landmark civil rights and voting rights laws. Always ahead of his time, as early as 1973 and before the Watergate reforms the following year, Sen. Kennedy was working to pass forward-looking congressional public financing of elections legislation.
"Today, we offer our condolences to his family and friends, and join the citizens of Massachusetts and Americans in every corner of this nation in mourning the passing of one of the greatest little 'd' democrats of our time. Tomorrow, we pledge to continue to work towards his vision of a democracy that works for all of us."
Public Campaign is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to sweeping reform that aims to dramatically reduce the role of big special interest money in American politics. For more information, go to www.publicampaign.org.
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Thursday, April 2, 2009
U.S. House Takes Giant Step Toward Historic Regulation of Tobacco Products
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids:
The U.S. House of Representatives today put Congress on the brink of truly historic action to reduce tobacco use -- the nation's No. 1 cause of preventable death -- by approving legislation granting the FDA authority over tobacco products. We urge the Senate to quickly pass this legislation and resist all efforts to weaken it. There are few steps Congress can take that would make a bigger difference for America's health than to pass this long-overdue legislation. It will end the special protection the tobacco industry has enjoyed for too long and protect our children and the nation's health instead.
We applaud House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Representative Todd Platts (R-PA) for their leadership in introducing this strong legislation and quickly moving it forward.
Today's 298-112 vote underscores the broad, bipartisan support for this legislation and provides strong momentum for enacting it into law this year. It has been endorsed by more than 1,000 public health, faith, medical and other organizations (see list at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/fda/organizations.pdf). A poll last year found that 70 percent of American voters support FDA regulation of tobacco products (see details at www.tobaccofreekids.org/fdapoll/). It has been endorsed by scientific authorities including the Institute of Medicine and the President's Cancer Panel.
Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans and costs the nation $96 billion in health care bills each year. Every day, more than 1,000 children become new regular smokers. Yet tobacco products are exempt from the FDA's common-sense regulations that apply to virtually every other product we consume, from food to drugs to cosmetics. This allows tobacco companies to market their deadly and addictive products to children, deceive consumers about the harm their products cause, make changes to their products without disclosing them (such as manipulating nicotine levels in cigarettes), and resist any meaningful change to make their products less harmful.
This legislation would grant the FDA the authority and resources to effectively regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. Among other things, it would:
-- Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
-- Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children.
-- Require larger, more effective health warnings on tobacco packages and
advertising.
-- Ban misleading health claims such as "light" and "low-tar" and
strictly regulate all health claims about tobacco products to ensure
they are scientifically proven and do not discourage current tobacco
users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
-- Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco
products, as well as changes in products and research about their
health effects.
-- Empower the FDA to require changes in tobacco products, such as the
removal or reduction of harmful ingredients or the reduction of
nicotine levels.
-- Fully fund the FDA's new tobacco-related responsibilities with a user
fee on tobacco companies so no resources are taken from the FDA's
current work.
-----
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The U.S. House of Representatives today put Congress on the brink of truly historic action to reduce tobacco use -- the nation's No. 1 cause of preventable death -- by approving legislation granting the FDA authority over tobacco products. We urge the Senate to quickly pass this legislation and resist all efforts to weaken it. There are few steps Congress can take that would make a bigger difference for America's health than to pass this long-overdue legislation. It will end the special protection the tobacco industry has enjoyed for too long and protect our children and the nation's health instead.
We applaud House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Representative Todd Platts (R-PA) for their leadership in introducing this strong legislation and quickly moving it forward.
Today's 298-112 vote underscores the broad, bipartisan support for this legislation and provides strong momentum for enacting it into law this year. It has been endorsed by more than 1,000 public health, faith, medical and other organizations (see list at www.tobaccofreekids.org/reports/fda/organizations.pdf). A poll last year found that 70 percent of American voters support FDA regulation of tobacco products (see details at www.tobaccofreekids.org/fdapoll/). It has been endorsed by scientific authorities including the Institute of Medicine and the President's Cancer Panel.
Tobacco use kills more than 400,000 Americans and costs the nation $96 billion in health care bills each year. Every day, more than 1,000 children become new regular smokers. Yet tobacco products are exempt from the FDA's common-sense regulations that apply to virtually every other product we consume, from food to drugs to cosmetics. This allows tobacco companies to market their deadly and addictive products to children, deceive consumers about the harm their products cause, make changes to their products without disclosing them (such as manipulating nicotine levels in cigarettes), and resist any meaningful change to make their products less harmful.
This legislation would grant the FDA the authority and resources to effectively regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. Among other things, it would:
-- Restrict tobacco advertising and promotions, especially to children.
-- Stop illegal sales of tobacco products to children.
-- Require larger, more effective health warnings on tobacco packages and
advertising.
-- Ban misleading health claims such as "light" and "low-tar" and
strictly regulate all health claims about tobacco products to ensure
they are scientifically proven and do not discourage current tobacco
users from quitting or encourage new users to start.
-- Require tobacco companies to disclose the contents of tobacco
products, as well as changes in products and research about their
health effects.
-- Empower the FDA to require changes in tobacco products, such as the
removal or reduction of harmful ingredients or the reduction of
nicotine levels.
-- Fully fund the FDA's new tobacco-related responsibilities with a user
fee on tobacco companies so no resources are taken from the FDA's
current work.
-----
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