Internet Gambling Bill HR 2267 to be Marked Up on July 27th
On July 27th at 10:00am ET, six bills will be marked up in the House Financial Services Committee. Among them is HR 2267, the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, which creates a full licensing and regulatory framework for the industry in the United States. The order in which the bills will be addressed has not been officially determined, although the “Markup Agenda” on the Financial Services Committee website shows HR 2267 as the third on the docket.
The Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative (SSIGI) was the first organization to report on Tuesday’s markup hearing. Its spokesperson, Michael Waxman, commented in a press release on Thursday night, “This markup demonstrates that Congress is serious about moving Chairman Frank’s bill forward and establishing a strict regulatory framework for internet gambling activity. The passage of this legislation would be a win-win, as it will protect consumers, create an estimated 32,000 new jobs over five years, and provide federal and state governments with as much as $72 billion in new revenues over ten years.”
Markup is one of several steps in a bill becoming law. If HR 2267 is successfully marked up and voted out of the House Financial Services Committee, then the entire House of Representatives may discuss it. In 2008, HR 6870, the second incarnation of the Payments System Protection Act, was approved in Committee by a 30-19 margin. However, it was deemed “dead” after it was not passed into law at the end of the Congressional session.
The same fate may await HR 2267 even if it is voted out of committee. Congress is slated to break for summer recess from August 9th to September 10th. The lawmaking body has a target adjournment date of October 8th, about one month before general elections take center stage in the United States. A so-called “lame duck” session may follow the election period.
Besides HR 2267, the other five bills set to be marked up include HR 5814 (Public Housing Reinvestment and Tenant Protection Act), HR 4868 (Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Act), HR 3421 (Medical Debt Relief Act), HR 4790 (Shareholder Protection Act), and HR 5823 (United States Covered Bond Act). Frank (pictured), who Chairs the Financial Services Committee, also serves as the primary sponsor of HR 4868.
HR 2267 was introduced in May 2009 and has 69 co-sponsors on both sides of the aisle. On the same date as HR 2267 was brought to life, Frank also introduced HR 2266, the Reasonable Prudence in Regulation Act. The bill would have delayed mandatory compliance with the regulations of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by one year. However, after a six-month reprieve from the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve, the mandatory compliance officially came to a head on June 1st.
Wednesday’s Committee hearing featured UB.compro Annie Duke (pictured) speaking on behalf of the Poker Players Alliance (PPA). The organization is now scrambling to secure votes prior to Tuesday’s markup hearing. PPA Executive Director John Pappas told PocketFives.com on Friday morning, “We have a really positive momentum after the hearing. Members of that committee are inclined to support Frank’s bill. We have a lot of work to do to secure a bipartisan majority and are targeting members we think are in the middle. We know who is for it and who is against it; it’s the swing votes we’re focusing on.”
Expected to offer up an amendment to HR 2267 is Congressman John Campbell (R-CA). At the tail end of Wednesday’s hearing, Campbell noted that technology exists that can, for example, engage a would-be internet gambler in a series of questions to determine whether they are of the proper mental capacity to play online. Campbell stated that he would propose an amendment adding similar technology to the bill and introduce a loss limit.
We’ll have a full recap of Tuesday’s markup right here on PocketFives.com.
