Anti-Spam Bill before US Congress

[William A. Barnett-Lewis]

Hello all,
This may be "somewhat" off topic, but it is an important issue these
days. For those of us who are citizens of the US, please contact your
senators and representatives and ask them to support House Bill 1748.
This bill would amend the law banning junk faxes to include spam email.
The full text of the bill follows:

________________________________________________________________________
Netizens Protection Act of 1997 (Introduced in the House)

HR 1748 IH 

                                      105th CONGRESS

                                          1st Session

                                         H. R. 1748

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ban the transmission of
unsolicited advertisements by electronic mail, and
to require that sender identification information be included with
electronic mail messages. 

                            IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                       May 22, 1997

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Commerce 



                                           A BILL

To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to ban the transmission of
unsolicited advertisements by electronic mail, and
to require that sender identification information be included with
electronic mail messages. 

     Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress
     assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

     This Act may be cited as the `Netizens Protection Act of 1997'.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON TRANSMISSION OF UNSOLICITED ADVERTISEMENTS BY
ELECTRONIC MAIL.

     Section 227(b)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
227(b)(1)) is amended--

          (1) by striking `or' at the end of subparagraph (C);

          (2) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (E);

          (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new
subparagraph:

               `(D) to use any computer or other electronic device to
send an unsolicited advertisement to an
               electronic mail address of an individual with whom such
person lacks a preexisting and ongoing
               business or personal relationship, unless such individual
provides express invitation or permission; or'.

SEC. 3. ELECTRONIC MAIL SENDER IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION REQUIRED.

     Section 227(d)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C.
227(d)(1)) is amended--

          (1) by striking `or' at the end of subparagraph (A);

          (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and
inserting `; and'; and

          (3) by inserting at the end the following new subparagraph:

               `(C) to use a computer or other electronic device to send
an unsolicited advertisement to an
               electronic mail address unless such person clearly
provides, at the beginning of such unsolicited
               advertisement, the date and time the message is sent, the
identity of the business, other entity, or
               individual sending the message, and the return electronic
mail address of such business, other entity,
               or individual.'.

William Barnett-Lewis
wlewis@mailbag.com

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Live without fear; your Creator loves you
as a mother. Go in peace to follow the good
road and may God's blessing be with you always.
St. Claire
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