The full 70-member Financial Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives marked up Rep. James Leach's, R-Iowa, Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (HR 4411) this morning. The markup was rather uneventful, with Leach speaking in favor of his bill and ranking Democrat Barney Frank, D-Mass., speaking against it. The bill was approved by a voice vote after receiving a technical amendment. It now heads to the Judiciary Committee for another markup.
HR 4411 seeks to combat remote gambling with unauthorized offshore providers by restricting the use of credit cards, checks, wire transfers and electronic fund transfers to fund gambling accounts.
Top ranking committee Democrat Rep. Barney Frank opposed the bill, but was powerless to stop its passage. "Adults are entitled to do with their money what they want to," Frank stated.
HR 4411's passage through the Financial Services Committee was relatively easy, but it could have a tougher time in the Judiciary Committee.
The 39-member Judiciary Committee is chaired by Rep. James Sensenbremmer, R-Wis., and seats four of the bill's 32 cosponsors.
It is thought that the Judiciary Committee would prefer the alternative online gambling bill, The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act (HR 4777), which was introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., on Feb. 16 and has already attained 118 cosponsors, 17 of whom sit on the Judiciary Committee. Only one Democrat who cosponsors HR 4777 sits on the Judiciary Committee, and that is Rep. Rick Boucher, R-Va., who was present at Leach's press conference to introduce the bill. Boucher and Leach hailed the bill as a bi-partisan effort; however, a glance at the bill's sponsorship list reveals few Democrats.
Reps. Boucher and Goodlatte both sit on the Judiciary Committee, as does noted I-gaming foe Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala. Other noteworthy members include ranking Democrat Rep. John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., and Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, who played major roles in the defeat of a prohibition bill in 2000.
While the Judiciary Committee may prefer HR 4777 over HR 4411, there is no assurance that the committee would not favorably report HR 4411. Whereas H.R. 4411 would focus efforts on blocking the payment mechanisms used to fund online gambling accounts, H.R. 4777 would update the Wire Act to clarify that unauthorized casino gaming and gambling performed via remote means are illegal. The bills offer two different methods of prohibiting online gambling, but would not work contrary to one another.
Goodlatte's office told IGN in February that it is supportive of Leach's bill and that it believes the two bills are complementary.