JANUARY 8, 2003

Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this public briefing on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) National Do-Not-Call Registry. This is an increasingly important issue to consumers across the country. Unwanted telemarketing calls have become a nuisance that many consider an invasion of privacy. A national do-not-call registry would enable consumers to limit unwanted intrusions and once again answer their telephones without aggravation.

Any national program to address these problems should provide common-sense exceptions for charitable organizations and the existing relationships that businesses have with their customers. It should also maximize consumer choice, allowing individuals to receive the calls they want and avoid those they do not. Most importantly, for a national registry to be successful, it must be diligently enforced.

It appears that the FTC has made significant progress toward establishing such a national program. Consumers, charities, telemarketers, state and local governments, and other interested parties have voiced their complaints and communicated their concerns. The Commission appears to have carefully considered a wide range of complicated issues and has produced a seemingly balanced result.