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By Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress moved quickly on Thursday to reinstate a popular "do-not-call" telemarketing list that millions had signed up for before it was blocked by a U.S court two days ago.
The House of Representatives voted 412-8 to give the Federal Trade Commission authority to run the national registry of phone numbers that telemarketers would be prohibited to call. The Senate was expected to vote on a nearly identical measure later in the afternoon.
The flurry of activity on Capitol Hill underlined the program's tremendous popularity among voters, who have placed 50 million home and mobile phone numbers on the list since it was launched this summer.
"This Congress has often been called a slow and cumbersome beast, but I think you can see how fast this Congress is prepared to move when 50 million Americans are angry," said bill sponsor Rep. Billy Tauzin in debate on the House floor.
After an Oklahoma City judge ruled late Tuesday that the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites), not the FTC, had authority to oversee the list, at least 11 lawmakers introduced bills that would give the FTC the needed authority.
Many lawmakers questioned Judge Lee West's reasoning and insisted they had given the FTC the necessary authority when they funded the program in February.
"We should probably call the bill 'This Time We Really Mean It Act' to cure any myopia in the judicial branch," Tauzin said.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said the Senate would vote on an identical bill by the end of the day.
The White House welcomed House passage of the legislation and made clear President Bush (news - web sites) stood ready to sign it. "He strongly supports what they're doing," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.
The FTC said on Thursday the court had denied its request to allow the program to go forward while it appeals the decision.
The Direct Marketing Association, which filed the lawsuit in February, instructed its members to avoid calling those who had signed up for the list.
In debate on the House floor, lawmakers condemned both Judge West and the telemarketers who pester Americans at home with unwanted sales calls.
"Unwanted telemarketing calls are less popular than a skunk at a church picnic, and they are more persistent and obnoxious than athlete's foot," said Rep. John Dingell (news, bio, voting record), the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee and a co-sponsor of the bill.
Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton (news, bio, voting record) brandished West's phone number, while Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ed Markey suggested Congress would spare him the wrath of outraged consumers by overriding his decision.
Others pointed out the judge had temporarily united a Congress that is frequently split along ideological lines.
"I want to thank the judge for making us all love each other," New York Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel (news, bio, voting record) said.
At least 38 states have do-not-call lists of their own, which will not be affected by the court's ruling.
The FTC's program would impose fines of up to $11,000 each time a telemarketer called a number on the list. It would not apply to political and charitable calls.
By Andy Sullivan
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congress moved quickly on Thursday to reinstate a popular "do-not-call" telemarketing list that millions had signed up for before it was blocked by a U.S court two days ago.
The House of Representatives voted 412-8 to give the Federal Trade Commission authority to run the national registry of phone numbers that telemarketers would be prohibited to call. The Senate was expected to vote on a nearly identical measure later in the afternoon.
The flurry of activity on Capitol Hill underlined the program's tremendous popularity among voters, who have placed 50 million home and mobile phone numbers on the list since it was launched this summer.
"This Congress has often been called a slow and cumbersome beast, but I think you can see how fast this Congress is prepared to move when 50 million Americans are angry," said bill sponsor Rep. Billy Tauzin in debate on the House floor.
After an Oklahoma City judge ruled late Tuesday that the Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites), not the FTC, had authority to oversee the list, at least 11 lawmakers introduced bills that would give the FTC the needed authority.
Many lawmakers questioned Judge Lee West's reasoning and insisted they had given the FTC the necessary authority when they funded the program in February.
"We should probably call the bill 'This Time We Really Mean It Act' to cure any myopia in the judicial branch," Tauzin said.
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said the Senate would vote on an identical bill by the end of the day.
The White House welcomed House passage of the legislation and made clear President Bush (news - web sites) stood ready to sign it. "He strongly supports what they're doing," White House spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters.
The FTC said on Thursday the court had denied its request to allow the program to go forward while it appeals the decision.
The Direct Marketing Association, which filed the lawsuit in February, instructed its members to avoid calling those who had signed up for the list.
In debate on the House floor, lawmakers condemned both Judge West and the telemarketers who pester Americans at home with unwanted sales calls.
"Unwanted telemarketing calls are less popular than a skunk at a church picnic, and they are more persistent and obnoxious than athlete's foot," said Rep. John Dingell (news, bio, voting record), the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee and a co-sponsor of the bill.
Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton (news, bio, voting record) brandished West's phone number, while Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Ed Markey suggested Congress would spare him the wrath of outraged consumers by overriding his decision.
Others pointed out the judge had temporarily united a Congress that is frequently split along ideological lines.
"I want to thank the judge for making us all love each other," New York Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel (news, bio, voting record) said.
At least 38 states have do-not-call lists of their own, which will not be affected by the court's ruling.
The FTC's program would impose fines of up to $11,000 each time a telemarketer called a number on the list. It would not apply to political and charitable calls.
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