Spam bill clears House committee

An anti-spam bill by Reps. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and Gene Green, D-Texas, has cleared the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Judiciary Committee still must approve it before the bill faces a House floor vote. The bill was modified by Wilson from the version that passed the Telecommunications Subcommittee last week to address concerns raised at that vote.

The bill approved Wednesday more clearly defines when an Internet service provider may sue a spammer and aims to ensure that state attorneys general file suit to bring direct benefits to spammed consumers. On Tuesday, Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Last year Wilson had a similar bill pass the House 427-1 only to see it die from inaction in the Senate.