Today we will be discussing legislation that grants the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) new authority to combat fraud that reaches across our borders and harms American consumers. Members who have Districts near our Nation's borders are all too familiar with the issue of cross border crime. I am pleased to see the Federal Trade Commission and the Subcommittee address this often underreported threat to consumers. I commend Chairman Muris, Commissioner Thompson, and the entire FTC for their initiative, and I commend Rep. Schakowsky and Chairman Stearns for their work on this important legislation.

Cross border scams have been a longtime concern for my constituents who live less than thirty miles from the Canadian border. In 2002, forty-six percent of all cross border fraud complaints filed with the FTC were by American consumers against Canadian companies. American consumers, however, are no longer immune from foreign scams that originate across the globe. With the advent of the Internet, foreign fraudsters can now reach parts of our country that have no proximity to a foreign border.

While the Internet provides us with many benefits, it can also serve as a breeding ground for all sorts of rascality and skulduggery. Several car dealerships have been victimized recently by intricate scams involving buyers from foreign lands purchasing cars over the Internet. The end result is classic check-fraud that deprives these small business owners of valuable cars in addition to large amounts of cash.

Federal authorities must be empowered to work with foreign law enforcement to investigate and prosecute scams, schemes, and fraud no matter where they originate. As we craft these new authorities, however, we must guard the civil liberties and privacy rights of American citizens. These are important new authorities, and I am pleased to continue working with Chairman Stearns, Rep. Schakowsky, and the Commission to strike a careful balance between protecting the privacy of our citizens and protecting consumers from foreign fraud.