Three more cosponsor online gambling bill

Rep. Barney Frank's online gambling bill is getting more support by the week. Three more congressmen signed on to cosponsor the bill Thursday, bringing the total up to 34.

The three new cosponsors were all Democrats who had initially voted against Bill Frist's bill last year, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act. Frank's bill is their chance to help get rid of a new law they didn't support in the first place.

One of the supporters is Joe Baca (D-Calif.) who serves on the House Financial Services Committee, of which Frank is chairman.

Baca also serves on the House Agriculture and House Natural Resources committees.

Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) is an interesting addition to the cosponsors list. Gambling is illegal in his home state.

He too serves on the House Natural Resources Committee as well as the Armed Services Committee.

California has another representative joining the list as well with Rep. Lynn Woolsey. She serves on the Education and Labor, Science and Technology, and Foreign Affairs committees.

Additional cosponsors:

Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.)
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.)
Bob Filner (D-Calif.)
Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.)
Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.)
Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.)
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)
Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.)
Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.)
Melvin Watt (D-N.C.)
Robert Wexler (D-Fla.)
Don Young (R-Alaska)
Frank's Internet Gambling Regulation and Enforcement Act isn't the only attempt at legalizing online gambling in the Unites States that's getting more support this month. Robert Wexler's Skill Game Protection Act also saw a jump in cosponsors this month.

Many of the representatives signing on to his bill to create an exception for poker in the UIGEA are the same ones who've signed on to Frank's bill to legalize online gambling all together.

Originally, Wexler only had one cosponsor - Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.). He signed on June 27.

Since then, 11 more congressmen have added their support to the bill. They are:

Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) - 7/18/2007
Shelley Berkley (D-Nev.) - 7/10/2007
Michael Capuano (D-Mass.) - 7/17/2007
Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) - 7/17/2007
Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.) - 7/10/2007

John Larson (D-Conn.) - 7/18/2007

James Moran (D-Va.) - 7/17/2007

Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) - 7/23/2007

Linda Sanchez (D-Calif.) - 7/18/2007

Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) - 7/25/2007

Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) - 7/17/2007
Two other pieces of legislation dealing with online gambling have been proposed. One is Jim McDermott's Safe and Secure Internet Gambling Initiative that deals with the taxation of online poker, which goes hand-in-hand with Frank's bill.

Shelley Berkley also introduced legislation that calls for a study of Internet gambling for the purpose of taxing, regulating and providing protection for minors.

courtesy of Sarah Polson

News Added: 28 July, 2007

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