Do Not Call’ Do Not Bother

After clearing one hurdle on its path to implementation, the federal do-not-call list has yet again run into trouble.

Both houses of Congress responded overwhelmingly to yesterday’s decision by an Oklahoma City federal court that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) did not have the authority to enact the do-not-call regulation. The House of Representatives voted 412-8 and the Senate 95-0 for a bill explicitly giving the FTC said authority.

But Denver U.S. District Judge Edward D. Nottingham has thrown another obstacle in do-not-call’s path, ruling that the registry is unconstitutional. More than 50 million phone numbers have been registered for the program, which was supposed to go into effect Oct. 1. It would eliminate an estimated 80 percent of unsolicited telephone commercial solicitations, according to supporters.