Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis) has urged Michael Powell, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, to reject an appeal by the Consumer Bankers Association to overturn "Do Not Call" law which is separate and tougher than federal statutes regarding tele-marketers.

Specifically, said Kohl in a Feb. 2 news release, Wisconsin law closes a loophole in the federal law that permits telemarketers to keep calling residences if they are representing a business with which the customer had a prior relationship. The federal loophole also extends to business affiliates of such companies, according to Kohl.

"When the FCC implemented the national Do-Not-Call list, it correctly chose not to preempt state Do-Not-Call lists and rather worked to harmonize the national list with the various state lists," The senator told Powell. "This approach established the national Do-Not-Call list as a floor, not a ceiling, and states could 
enact stronger laws pursuant to their powers to regulate telemarketing practices." 

  —Donald H. Harrison