Online Gambling Bill Still Waiting
Published: Monday, August 07, 2006 Online-Casinos.com
ONLINE GAMBLING BILL STILL WAITING AS SENATE GOES INTO AUTUMN RECESS
Senate leader has online gambling Bills on his list for September resumption, but time is running out
The bills that seek to cripple and ban the online gambling industry in the United States remained unheard as the Senate adjourned for the 4 week autumn break last Friday.
To become law, Bill HR 4411 has to pass a Senate debate and vote, and be signed into law by the President before the current Congressional season ends.
A further Bill, HR 4777 is expected to be under committee review until approximately September 15 and could also come onto the floor.
Prior to the adjournment Senate Majority leader Bill Frist outlined his agenda for the reconvened September session, which will include port security legislation, completion of the annual budget for the Defence Department, and the bill banning selected types of Internet gambling.
So far, the influential horse racing and lotteries industries have been exempted, but the undesirability of "carve-outs" has been the downfall of similar bills in previous years. The contentious issue of state rights to control regional gambling legislation has also been carefully skirted by Reps Goodlatte and Leach in drafting the bill.
This year, too there have already been objections from the banking and commercial sectors of US business regarding fears of being over-burdened by the provisions of the bill should it be approved, and at least 47 sponsors have already signed up for a proposal by Rep. Jon Porter of Nevada to have a bi-partisan, 18 month Congressional investigation of online gambling.
Frist has said his target adjournment date, which is flexible and can be extended is October/November.
