James A. Leach: “Mr. Speaker, I rise to note that folded into the SAFE Port Act is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which…”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise to note that folded into the SAFE Port Act is the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act which is one of the most important pieces of family legislation this Congress has ever considered. Internet gambling restraints have been under review for four Congresses. This evening we are finally poised to act decisively on this subject, and I want to extend my personal appreciation to the Speaker; to the majority leader, Mr. Boehner; and to the Senate majority leader, Mr. Frist, for their steadfast support. Companion legislation to the House product was forthrightly led in the Senate by John Kyl of Arizona. Many Members have played an important part over the years in this legislation, particularly Mike Oxley and Spencer Bachus from the Financial Services Committee and Bob Goodlatte and Chris Cannon from Judiciary. But I want to stress this is bipartisan legislation. The majority of Democrats voted for it just a few weeks ago. Indeed, all of us can be proud of this legislation. It should be considered a significant accomplishment of this Congress. After all, with each passing day we learn of friends and neighbors touched by devastating losses from Internet gambling. Never has it been so easy to lose so much so quickly at such a young age. As a professor of business at the University of Illinois has noted, Internet gambling is crack cocaine for gamblers.”