February 12, 2003

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 395, the "Do-Not-Call Implementation Act," authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to collect fees to fund its national do-not-call registry. Unwanted sales calls have become a nuisance that many consider an invasion of privacy. A national do-not-call registry will allow consumers to limit these unwanted intrusions and once again answer their telephones without aggravation.

Consumers, charities, telemarketing companies, local governments and other interested parties, have voiced their complaints and communicated their concerns. In the Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act, passed in 1994, we gave the FTC the discretion to create a national do-not-call program. Based on that authority, the FTC has considered a wide range of complicated issues and has produced a reasoned result. I urge the appropriators in the Omnibus Appropriations Conference to include full funding of this program now. In fact, I have no objection under these circumstances to inserting H.R. 395 itself into the Conference Report.

As the FTC launches the do-not-call registry, we must monitor its progress closely. By any measure, coordinating the efforts of the Federal Trade Commission, the Federal Communications Commission and state authorities into one national system will be a challenge. The rewards, however, can be great. As these many parts work together as one, we can achieve a comprehensive program that will empower consumers without unnecessarily burdening industry.

This is an important issue to consumers across the nation that should not be delayed any further.