Frank Online Gambling Bill Continues to Attract Sponsors
Barney Frank's bill to regulate and license online gambling sites may not have reached committee as quickly as hoped, but the lengthy delay has allowed a number of supporters to step up and announce themselves. This week, the number of official sponsors on the bill grew to 61, with the addition of Representative Peter Welch of Vermont.
Earlier in the week, Representative John Larson of Connecticut had also attached his name to Frank's cause.
Co-sponsors are not necessary for passage of a bill. Representatives may vote for or against a proposal without any prior declaration, but sponsoring a bill allows a Congressman to show his constituency where his allegiance lies, a valuable tool when running for re-election.
Frank has promised repeatedly to bring the bill into discussion before Congress adjourns for the year, but several self-set deadlines have been missed as the economic crisis and resulting legislation continue to occupy Frank's Financial Services Committee. The delay raises the importance of Frank's second bill, seeking a year-long suspension of the implementation of the UIGEA.
Recently, Frank and 20 other Congressmen wrote the Department of the Treasury, seeking that it use administrative powers available to it to hold off on the UIGEA introduction, scheduled for December 1st. Among the points raised were that the issue likely faces legislative changes, making the implementation both problematic and temporary, at best.
