Clinton Legislation Could Help Overturn the UIGEA

Following reports that the Bush administration is making motions to pull a "midnight drop" on the highly controversial Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act (UIGEA) legislation, another piece of legislation has surfaced which could undo the underhanded tactics which got the UIGEA passed into law in the first place.

Shedding light on a Clinton-era piece of legislation called the Congressional Review Act (CRA) of 1996, a recent article on the Politico webzine suggests that an incoming Obama administration and a Democratic majority Congress could very well use the CRA to reverse a number of the former administration's legislative measures.

Most of the attention given to the prospects of activating the CRA has thus far been given to climate issues and questionable moves the Bush administration has taken in regards to the environment. In fact, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has already confirmed it is considering the option of applying the CRA to pieces of legislation passed during the last half year of the Bush administration. The Democratic Party is also no doubt strategizing how to go about using the CRA, although no decisions have been made as of yet according to Politico.

Some analysts speculate the Obama administration could stand to package several midnight drops into one vote, which would certainly mitigate the power of special interests for one piece of legislation or another. Much in the same way the UIGEA was passed (as an attachment to the more powerful and essential Port Security Act), the UIGEA could be lumped together with more pressing environmental issues and get the necessary rebuttal that U.S. facing online casinos and gaming proponents are looking for.

As for the Bush administration, its no surprise they became defensive when asked about their "midnight dropping". White House spokesman, Carlton Carroll, said the current administration is simply exercising their responsibility to govern and acknowledged that Congress has and will continue to use tools for overturning regulations.

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