Herb Kohl: “Regrettably, a Federal judge in Oklahoma has voided the Federal Trade Commission's national ``do not call'' list that…”

“Regrettably, a Federal judge in Oklahoma has voided the Federal Trade Commission's national ``do not call'' list that was set to go into effect on October 1. This action frustrates the wishes of more than 48 million Americans who have signed up for the ``do not call'' list. Though a judge ruled that the FTC lacked Congressional authority to create the national list, I strongly disagree and believe that Congress explicitly granted the Commission both the authority and the funding earlier this year to create a ``do not call'' list. Indeed, absent Congressional action, the FTC's ``do not call'' list would have failed to have become a reality this year. I recall discussing the matter with FTC Chairman Tim Muris at a hearing before the Antitrust Subcommittee last September. He asked me for help in getting Congressional authority in order to raise fees necessary to implement the ``do not call'' list. We were able to grant the Commission this authority in the Consolidated Appropriations Resolution which passed in February of this year. We further authorized the FTC's initiative in the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act on March 11, 2003. These actions more than authorized the FTC's ``do not call'' list, in my view. That said, this bill will make it crystal clear that Congress endorses, supports, and authorizes the FTC to create a national ``do not call'' registry. I commend the FTC's hard work to create a national ``do not call'' list. Such action was long overdue.”