Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Chairman
Committee on Energy and Commerce

Today Rep. Dingell delivered the following remarks to advertising and media industry leaders during the Joint Government Affairs Conference hosted by the American Advertising Federation, the Association of National Advertisers and the American Association of Advertising Agencies. This annual meeting was held in Washington, D.C. at the Washington Post headquarters.

Remarks Prepared by
THE HONORABLE JOHN D. DINGELL
Joint Government Affairs Conference

May 2, 2007

Thank you, Wally [Snyder, AAF President], for your kind words and for inviting me to join you today.

I also want to thank our sponsors - the American Advertising Federation, the Association of National Advertisers, and the American Association of Advertising Agencies - for bringing us together.

And a special thanks to the Washington Post for hosting this gathering and providing a forum for us to discuss some of the key issues affecting America’s advertising community.

As I look around this room, it’s good to see some old friends. And it’s not surprising to see many new faces. It’s been 10 years since I’ve had the pleasure of addressing this group – and your industry has seen a great deal of change in that decade.

Your rapid growth has continued. Your capabilities have expanded. And, thanks to the Internet and other developments, your ability to directly and intimately connect with consumers has evolved.

But some things haven’t changed. Just as it always has, the advertising industry continues to keep our great and growing media industry afloat. The work you do continues to help businesses reach and retain customers. It keeps American consumers informed and, very often, entertained. And, as our messengers of information, the knowledge you provide empowers individuals to make more informed choices.

This is important work. And it’s clear that you have great skill and creativity in reaching the American public. But you also have an enormous responsibility.

This morning I want to talk to you about responsibility – both yours and mine. And about how government and industry leaders can work in partnership on behalf of those we serve.

Now, I’ve been around for some time. And I’ve had the privilege of working with many of you in this room and in this industry. I know you’re good at what you do – in fact, you’ve convinced me to buy a lot of things I never even realized I needed.

I also know that most of you are committed to providing information that is truthful and accurate. And that most of you understand the obligations that you, as shapers of public opinion, have to consumers. But I’m also well aware that there are a few bad actors out there. And, unfortunately, you are all tarred by the same brush.

Though I believe that consumers are far better off when they have more information about goods and services than less, I also know that false and misleading information can be terribly destructive. And we all have a role to play in making sure advertisements do not abuse or betray the public trust.

I applaud the work you are doing to examine your own practices and promote greater self-regulation. I encourage you to keep it up. And I want you to know that we in Congress will be watching closely to be sure that information presented to the American public is both truthful and accurate.

I realize this may be difficult to believe, in light of what you’ve seen from Congress over the last dozen years. There has been little oversight – and this has been true across the board, not just where your industry is concerned. There has not been adequate funding for enforcement. The FTC, FCC, and FDA have all been starved. And policymakers have not solicited your perspective when crafting policies affecting your work.

But things have changed. And they will continue to change.

This morning, I want to assure you that I am committed to working with you to strengthen and improve America’s advertising industry. And I expect you to continue to voluntarily establish high standards of ethics and practice.

There is currently a lot of chatter about potential regulatory changes that might affect what you do and how you do it -- and today I want to briefly mention two areas I know you are concerned about: direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs and the impact of advertisements on childhood obesity rates.

As many of you know, the Energy and Commerce Committee is currently working on reauthorizing the Prescription Drug User Fee Act and we hope to have legislation ready by late June. On what many of you consider to be the threshold matter in this debate, let me observe that it would prove difficult to pass a ban or moratorium on direct-to-consumer advertising. Such a ban would be controversial and implicates substantial first amendment concerns. But, at a minimum, it is fair to have a mechanism for ensuring the accuracy of ad claims and for punishing violations.

At the end of the day, I hope to ensure there is greater accuracy in drug advertising and that appropriate disclosures continue to be included in ads.

There’s also a lot of talk about how your industry fits into the national health epidemic of childhood obesity. Many are asking: How did this become such an enormous and threatening problem? And who is to blame?

I’m not sure these questions can be answered in a day, or a month or a year. But we need to keep them before us each day as we work to combat this critical health issue.

There are many reasons we, as a country, face this large-scale health crisis. I don’t think we can hold the media solely responsible for the childhood obesity epidemic. But it is fair to ask the media to accept a share of responsibility in addressing it.

As many of you may know, improving our national healthcare system and the health of our nation is something I’m passionate about and deeply committed to accomplishing. And I applaud the work you are doing to advance the FCC’s Medical and Obesity Task Force.

I encourage you to continue to demonstrate that your industry is responsive, proactive and responsible. And I hope we can keep up the conversation we’re beginning this morning.

I thank you for your time and look forward to your questions.

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(Contact: Jodi Seth or Brin Frazier, 202-225-5735)