Committees feuding over Internet gambling

Benjamin Grove

Tuesday, May 20, 2003 | 11:03 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The House Financial Services Committee today fired a shot at the House Judiciary Committee in a developing duel over legislation aimed at stopping Internet gambling.

The Financial Services panel in March approved a bill authored by Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, that attempts to cripple Internet gambling by outlawing the methods used by bettors to place wagers -- primarily credit cards, checks and wire transfers.

The Judiciary panel, also claiming jurisdiction over the bill, passed a notably different version last week that removed exemptions for horse racing and lotteries. The exemptions effectively would allow states to expand those types of gambling to the Internet. That version of the bill is considered by many observers to have less support among lawmakers.

In a tactical move today, Leach allies on the Financial Services Committee attempted to blunt the momentum of the competing Judiciary bill by approving yet a third version of the legislation. The new bill is similar to the original Leach legislation -- but lawmakers stripped out the provision giving the Judiciary panel any jurisdiction.

The purpose of the new bill is to reassert the will of the Financial Services Committee to pass the legislation, a panel spokesman said today. But the practical effect of the bill is not yet clear. All three bills are still pending.

House leaders, and likely the House Rules Committee, ultimately will decide which version of the Internet gambling legislation will advance to the floor for a vote, Financial Services Committee spokesman Scott Duncan said today.

The Senate has not yet voted this year on a pending bill similar to the Leach legislation.