 Applauded by Senators Stevens & Murkowski September 26, 2003 Senator Stevens and Senator Lisa Murkowski on Thursday applauded passage of H.R. 3161, legislation that gives the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the authority to establish a nationwide do-not-call list, to reinstate the existing list and to fulfill the intent of the national do-not-call list. This legislation responds to a federal district court decision that the FTC did not have the authority to create the existing anti-telemarketing registry that is scheduled to go into effect October 1, 2003. This bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission under the Telemarketing and Consumers Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act to compile and implement a national do-not-call registry as well as ratifies the existing do-not-call list created by the Telemarketing Sales Rule, which was promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission on March 31, 2003. Senator Stevens, sponsor of a similar bill in the Senate, stated "I will be happy when I can share a meal with my family without being harassed by telemarketers all through the night. Americans are frustrated that they cannot have peace and quiet simply because they have a phone number, this bill gives them that and I am happy to help bring it to them." "People have a right to privacy, to decide they do not want to be hounded by telemarketers. People, by electing to join the do-not-call registry, are saying they do not want the sanctity of their homes interrupted by telemarketers at all hours of the day or night. They clearly have that right. Alaskans are outraged that their right to privacy can be invaded every night while they try to eat dinner with their families. Our lives are busy enough with work and school. To have a little quiet time at dinner is not too much to ask," said Senator Murkowski, co-sponsor of the original Stevens bill. According to the news release,
millions of phone numbers have been posted to the FTC's registry.
By placing one's number on the do-not-call list, customers were
requesting that national telemarketers cease phone calls to that
number. Beginning Wednesday, October 1, 2003 the FTC would also
be able to fine telemarketing companies $11,000 per call to numbers
on the registry.
Source of News Release:
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