Proponents of Fax Bill Look Ahead to 109th Congress
Late last week before adjourning, the Senate passed S. 2603, the "Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2004," by unanimous consent. This was a result of months of hard work by ASAE and the Fax Ban Coalition, in addition to the grassroots efforts of all our organizations’ members. However, due to some tag-along provisions, including Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) "Boxing Bill," the House was unwilling to accept the Senate-passed bill. With the 108th Congress now concluded, ASAE and the coalition will work to get final legislation approved early in the 109th Congress.
ASAE believes that last night’s action is a positive step in our efforts to pass this legislation before next July 1, when the FCC’s proposed regulations are scheduled to take effect. The compromise language in S. 2603, which would restore the "established business relationship" (EBR) provision so that appropriate faxing can remain a viable method of communication for associations and businesses, could provide an excellent starting point for renewed discussions in January, in particular since the House leadership indicated that they would have been willing to accept S. 2603 if the extraneous provisions had not been attached. ASAE will continue early next year to work with Congress to pass this important legislation.
ASAE thanks everyone who in the past 18 months made calls and wrote letters to their Members of Congress on this issue. While we are disappointed that Congressional passage of this important issue was not secured during this legislative session, we could not have gotten this far without your efforts.
Updated February 2006
For more information contact NACM MidAmerica:
Phone: 1-800-593-0907
Fax: 405-232-5567
Email: assn@nacmservices.com
