Mr. Speaker, unwanted telemarketing calls are less popular than a skunk at a church picnic, and they are more persistent than athlete's foot. Today we are going to stop them once and for all.

In 1994 we passed the Telemarketing Act to protect consumer privacy and curb abusive and abrasive telemarketing. Through that law, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) created a national do-not-call registry, and over 50 million American consumers have registered their numbers with the list.

Earlier this year I introduced the "Do Not Call Implementation Act" with my good friend the gentleman from Louisiana. That bill -- which passed both Chambers by an overwhelming majority -- provided necessary funding so the do-not-call list could go into effect on time.

Well, the telemarketers are back. Despite our previous efforts, an errant judge in Oklahoma agreed with the Direct Marketing Association that we did not give the FTC authority to create the list. Last night I once again introduced legislation with the distinguished Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce to settle this question for all time. That legislation, which is before us today, unequivocally states the FTC is authorized to create and enforce a national do-not-call registry and it officially ratifies the existing list.

The registry is scheduled to begin in less than one week, and we are here to make sure it stays on schedule. I encourage my colleagues in both chambers to pass this legislation swiftly, and I hope the President will heed the call of consumers and sign this bill into law. Fifty million Americans deserve no less.