The Direct Marketing Association expressed gratitude to the U.S. House of Representatives and the Federal Communications Commission for each body’s actions clarifying rules governing commercial faxes.
The House passed a bill similar to one passed last week by the Senate. The bills allow marketers to send commercial faxes when there is an existing business relationship, or written consent.
The FCC held off implementing a rule that would ban commercial faxes to customers. The ban, which was to go into effect on July 1, was moved back to Jan. 9, 2006, unless President Bush signs the “Junk Fax Prevention Act.”
We are pleased by the actions today both in the House and at the FCC,” said Jerry Cerasale, senior vice president, government relations for the DMA, in a statement. “We think the legislation offers a balance that protects both consumers and businesses alike, and hope that President Bush will quickly sign the legislation into law so that FCC extensions no longer will be needed.”
