Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007

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IGREA gains more support from Massachusetts

Rep. Barney Frank

By Sarah Polson

Rep. Barney Frank is getting a little more help for his online gambling bill, the Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act, from his own state. Massachusetts Representative William Delahunt signed on as a cosponsor on Monday.

Delahunt, a Democrat, is already on record as opposing further restrictions to online gambling when he voted against the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act when it first passed through the House of Representatives last year.

Unfortunately that didn't keep the bill from being signed into law when it was tacked on to the SAFE Port Act in the Senate, but now Delahunt has his chance to support a bill that could rectify the situation.

The IGREA seeks to legalize online gambling and establish a way to regulate and license the industry in the United States.

Rep. Frank introduced the bill in the House of Representatives April 26, and the only action it has seen since then is to be referred to the House Energy Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.

When the IGREA was first introduced in the House, it had nearly a dozen cosponsors, and that number has since grown to 37 now that Delahunt is on board.

The cosponsors are:

• Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii)
• Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.)
• Joe Baca (D-Calif.)
• Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.)
• Howard Berman (D-Calif.)
• Michael Capuano (D-Mass.)
• Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.)
• Julia Carson (D-Ind.)
• William Lacy Clay (D-Mo.)
• Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.)
• William Delahunt (D-Mass.)
• Bob Filner (D-Calif.)
• Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.)
• Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)
• Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.)
• Michael Honda (D-Calif.)
• Steve Israel (D-N.Y.)
• Peter King (R-N.Y.)
• Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.)
• Jim McDermott (D-Wash.)
• James McGovern (D-Mass.)
• Charlie Melancon (D-La.)
• Ron Paul (R-Texas)
• Ed Perlmutter (D-Colo.)
• Ciro Rodriguez (D-Texas)
• Steven Rothman (D-N.J.)
• Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.)
• Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)
• Robert Scott (D-Va.)
• Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.)
• Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.)
• Melvin Watt (D-N.C.)
• Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.)
• Robert Wexler (D-Fla.)
• Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.)
• Albert Wynn (D-Md.)
• Don Young (R-Alaska)

There are also a few other pieces of legislation introduced in Congress dealing with online gambling. Robert Wexler's Skill Game Protection Act would exempt skill games such as poker from the online gambling ban.

Shelley Berkley also introduced a bill calling for a study of online gambling.

Related Articles:

• Frank Talks Online Gambling in Review Journal
• Virginia Representative Signs On to IGREA
• Three More Cosponsors for Online Gambling Bill
• July Adds Five Cosponsors to Online Gambling Bill

 

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