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CNN Live Event/Special
Bush Signs Do-Not-Call Legislation
Aired September 29, 2003 - 15:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: While we wait for the president of the United States, let's check in with Dana Bash who's out there on the lawn. Hello, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles. Well if this seems like deja vu to you it certainly does to those of us who cover the president because he did the same thing, the same signing, probably a very similar remarks that he is going to give today, he gave at the end of June. And let's listen to the president.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, thank you all for coming and welcome back to the White House.
This summer the Federal Trade Commission, ably headed by Tim Muris and the Federal Communications Commission, ably headed by Michael Powell, joined to create a national do-not-call registry. The registry allows Americans to shield their home and cell phone numbers from most unwanted telemarketing calls. By signing up over the phone or online people can protect their privacy and their family time from intrusive, annoying, unwelcomed commercial solicitations. The do-not- call registry is a practical solution to address a growing concern.
I'm honored that Senator Stevens is with us, that Chairman -- Congressman Billy Tauzin, the chairman, is with us. And Ed Markey, ranking member. Fred Upton. I appreciate you all coming. The reason they're here is they acted to a response from the judiciary. They acted as well because the American people clearly like the idea of a do-not-call registry. After all, since the first sign-up day three months ago, Americans have entered over 50 million telephone numbers in the do-not-call registry.
While many good people work in the telemarketing industry, the public is understandably losing patience with these unwanted phone calls, unwanted intrusions intrusions. When given a choice, Americans prefer not to receive random sales pitches at all hours of the day. And the American people should be free to restrict these calls.
Last week a initially judge objected to the do-not-call registry on grounds that Congress had not authorized its creation. So the House and the Senate authorized its creation. You acted swiftly. And I want to congratulate you very much. Really good action. The Senate voted 95-0, the House 412-8 to affirm the decision by the FTC and to affirm the wishes of the American people.
The do-not-call registry is still being challenged in court. Yet the conclusion of the American people and the legislative branch and the executive branch is beyond question. So today I'm pleased to sign this important piece of legislation into law. Come and join us?
O'BRIEN: All right. Pretty sure that set a record from its conception to its signing. I don't know. We'll have to cull through the history books on that one.
But in lightning speed, giving you a sense of what 50 million phone numbers on a registry can mean on Capitol Hill and down the street, Pennsylvania Avenue at the White House, you now have a sense of how quickly your government can work for you to try to respond to your needs.
Dana Bash, did it set a record, by the way, do you know?
BASH: You know, if not, I don't know for sure, but if not, it was pretty close. And I was thinking the same thing. It was almost as fast -- that signing was almost as fast as Congress passing this new bill last Friday.
But, Miles, as you know the president signing this is important only so far as what the courts decide to do, which is why the president decided to use the power of the bully pulpit to make it clear that he believes and Congress believes that the courts should allow this do-not-call registry to go through and should allow the 50 million people or so that have signed up for it to get their wish and to not be called by telemarketers that are unwanted.
O'BRIEN: All right, Dana Bash at the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: While we wait for the president of the United States, let's check in with Dana Bash who's out there on the lawn. Hello, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles. Well if this seems like deja vu to you it certainly does to those of us who cover the president because he did the same thing, the same signing, probably a very similar remarks that he is going to give today, he gave at the end of June. And let's listen to the president.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, thank you all for coming and welcome back to the White House.
This summer the Federal Trade Commission, ably headed by Tim Muris and the Federal Communications Commission, ably headed by Michael Powell, joined to create a national do-not-call registry. The registry allows Americans to shield their home and cell phone numbers from most unwanted telemarketing calls. By signing up over the phone or online people can protect their privacy and their family time from intrusive, annoying, unwelcomed commercial solicitations. The do-not- call registry is a practical solution to address a growing concern.
I'm honored that Senator Stevens is with us, that Chairman -- Congressman Billy Tauzin, the chairman, is with us. And Ed Markey, ranking member. Fred Upton. I appreciate you all coming. The reason they're here is they acted to a response from the judiciary. They acted as well because the American people clearly like the idea of a do-not-call registry. After all, since the first sign-up day three months ago, Americans have entered over 50 million telephone numbers in the do-not-call registry.
While many good people work in the telemarketing industry, the public is understandably losing patience with these unwanted phone calls, unwanted intrusions intrusions. When given a choice, Americans prefer not to receive random sales pitches at all hours of the day. And the American people should be free to restrict these calls.
Last week a initially judge objected to the do-not-call registry on grounds that Congress had not authorized >
Aired September 29, 2003 - 15:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: While we wait for the president of the United States, let's check in with Dana Bash who's out there on the lawn. Hello, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles. Well if this seems like deja vu to you it certainly does to those of us who cover the president because he did the same thing, the same signing, probably a very similar remarks that he is going to give today, he gave at the end of June. And let's listen to the president.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, thank you all for coming and welcome back to the White House.
This summer the Federal Trade Commission, ably headed by Tim Muris and the Federal Communications Commission, ably headed by Michael Powell, joined to create a national do-not-call registry. The registry allows Americans to shield their home and cell phone numbers from most unwanted telemarketing calls. By signing up over the phone or online people can protect their privacy and their family time from intrusive, annoying, unwelcomed commercial solicitations. The do-not- call registry is a practical solution to address a growing concern.
I'm honored that Senator Stevens is with us, that Chairman -- Congressman Billy Tauzin, the chairman, is with us. And Ed Markey, ranking member. Fred Upton. I appreciate you all coming. The reason they're here is they acted to a response from the judiciary. They acted as well because the American people clearly like the idea of a do-not-call registry. After all, since the first sign-up day three months ago, Americans have entered over 50 million telephone numbers in the do-not-call registry.
While many good people work in the telemarketing industry, the public is understandably losing patience with these unwanted phone calls, unwanted intrusions intrusions. When given a choice, Americans prefer not to receive random sales pitches at all hours of the day. And the American people should be free to restrict these calls.
Last week a initially judge objected to the do-not-call registry on grounds that Congress had not authorized its creation. So the House and the Senate authorized its creation. You acted swiftly. And I want to congratulate you very much. Really good action. The Senate voted 95-0, the House 412-8 to affirm the decision by the FTC and to affirm the wishes of the American people.
The do-not-call registry is still being challenged in court. Yet the conclusion of the American people and the legislative branch and the executive branch is beyond question. So today I'm pleased to sign this important piece of legislation into law. Come and join us?
O'BRIEN: All right. Pretty sure that set a record from its conception to its signing. I don't know. We'll have to cull through the history books on that one.
But in lightning speed, giving you a sense of what 50 million phone numbers on a registry can mean on Capitol Hill and down the street, Pennsylvania Avenue at the White House, you now have a sense of how quickly your government can work for you to try to respond to your needs.
Dana Bash, did it set a record, by the way, do you know?
BASH: You know, if not, I don't know for sure, but if not, it was pretty close. And I was thinking the same thing. It was almost as fast -- that signing was almost as fast as Congress passing this new bill last Friday.
But, Miles, as you know the president signing this is important only so far as what the courts decide to do, which is why the president decided to use the power of the bully pulpit to make it clear that he believes and Congress believes that the courts should allow this do-not-call registry to go through and should allow the 50 million people or so that have signed up for it to get their wish and to not be called by telemarketers that are unwanted.
O'BRIEN: All right, Dana Bash at the White House.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: While we wait for the president of the United States, let's check in with Dana Bash who's out there on the lawn. Hello, Dana.
DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Miles. Well if this seems like deja vu to you it certainly does to those of us who cover the president because he did the same thing, the same signing, probably a very similar remarks that he is going to give today, he gave at the end of June. And let's listen to the president.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Good afternoon, thank you all for coming and welcome back to the White House.
This summer the Federal Trade Commission, ably headed by Tim Muris and the Federal Communications Commission, ably headed by Michael Powell, joined to create a national do-not-call registry. The registry allows Americans to shield their home and cell phone numbers from most unwanted telemarketing calls. By signing up over the phone or online people can protect their privacy and their family time from intrusive, annoying, unwelcomed commercial solicitations. The do-not- call registry is a practical solution to address a growing concern.
I'm honored that Senator Stevens is with us, that Chairman -- Congressman Billy Tauzin, the chairman, is with us. And Ed Markey, ranking member. Fred Upton. I appreciate you all coming. The reason they're here is they acted to a response from the judiciary. They acted as well because the American people clearly like the idea of a do-not-call registry. After all, since the first sign-up day three months ago, Americans have entered over 50 million telephone numbers in the do-not-call registry.
While many good people work in the telemarketing industry, the public is understandably losing patience with these unwanted phone calls, unwanted intrusions intrusions. When given a choice, Americans prefer not to receive random sales pitches at all hours of the day. And the American people should be free to restrict these calls.
Last week a initially judge objected to the do-not-call registry on grounds that Congress had not authorized >
