S 877 IS, the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN SPAM Act).
Date Introduced: April 10, 2003.
Sponsors: Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT), Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), and others.
Source: Congressional Record, April 10, 2003, at pages S5204-7


S. 877

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003", or the "CAN-SPAM Act of 2003".

SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND POLICY.

(a) FINDINGS.--The Congress finds the following:

(b) CONGRESSIONAL DETERMINATION OF PUBLIC POLICY.--On the basis of the findings in subsection (a), the Congress determines that--

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

SEC. 4. CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL CONTAINING FRAUDULENT ROUTING INFORMATION.

(a) IN GENERAL.--Chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:``§.1351. Unsolicited commercial electronic mail containing fraudulent transmission information

``(a) IN GENERAL.--Any person who initiates the transmission, to a protected computer in the United States, of an unsolicited commercial electronic mail message, with knowledge and intent that the message contains or is accompanied by header information that is materially false or materially misleading shall be fined or imprisoned for not more than 1 year, or both, under this title. For purposes of this subsection, header information that is technically accurate but includes an originating electronic mail address the access to which for purposes of initiating the message was obtained by means of false or fraudulent pretenses or representations shall be considered materially misleading.

``(b) DEFINITIONS.--Any term used in subsection (a) that is defined in section 3 of the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 has the meaning given it in that section.''.

(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.--The chapter analysis for chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``1351. Unsolicited commercial electronic mail containing fraudulent routing information''.

SEC. 5. OTHER PROTECTIONS AGAINST UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL.

(a) REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSMISSION OF MESSAGES.--

(b) PROHIBITION OF TRANSMISSION OF UNLAWFUL UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL TO CERTAIN HARVESTED ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESSES.--

(c) COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES.--An action for violation of paragraph (2), (3), (4), or (5) of subsection (a) may not proceed if the person against whom the action is brought demonstrates that --

SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT BY FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.

(a) VIOLATION IS UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACT OR PRACTICE.--Except as provided in subsection (b), this Act shall be enforced by the Commission as if the violation of this Act were an unfair or deceptive act or practice proscribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).

(b) ENFORCEMENT BY CERTAIN OTHER AGENCIES.--Compliance with this Act shall be enforced--

(c) EXERCISE OF CERTAIN POWERS.--For the purpose of the exercise by any agency referred to in subsection (b) of its powers under any Act referred to in that subsection, a violation of this Act is deemed to be a violation of a requirement imposed under that Act. In addition to its powers under any provision of law specifically referred to in subsection (b), each of the agencies referred to in that subsection may exercise, for the purpose of enforcing compliance with any requirement imposed under this Act, any other authority conferred on it by law.

(d) ACTIONS BY THE COMMISSION.--The Commission shall prevent any person from violating this Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act. Any entity that violates any provision of that subtitle is subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, power, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act were incorporated into and made a part of that subtitle.

(e) ENFORCEMENT BY STATES.--

(f) ACTION BY PROVIDER OF INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.--

SEC. 7. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.

(a) FEDERAL LAW.--

(b) STATE LAW.--

(c) NO EFFECT ON POLICIES OF PROVIDERS OF INTERNET ACCESS SERVICE.--Nothing in this Act shall be construed to have any effect on the lawfulness or unlawfulness, under any other provision of law, of the adoption, implementation, or enforcement by a provider of Internet access service of a policy of declining to transmit, route, relay, handle, or store certain types of electronic mail messages.

SEC. 8. STUDY OF EFFECTS OF UNSOLICITED COMMERCIAL ELECTRONIC MAIL.

(a) IN GENERAL.--Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission, in consultation with the Department of Justice and other appropriate agencies, shall submit a report to the Congress that provides a detailed analysis of the effectiveness and enforcement of the provisions of this Act and the need (if any) for the Congress to modify such provisions.

(b) REQUIRED ANALYSIS.--The Commission shall include in the report required by subsection (a) an analysis of the extent to which technological and marketplace developments, including changes in the nature of the devices through which consumers access their electronic mail messages, may affect the practicality and effectiveness of the provisions of this Act.

SEC. 9 SEPARABILITY.

If any provision of this Act or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of this Act and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected.

SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE.

The provisions of this Act shall take effect 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.