But then, it looks like the US House of Representatives can do something right ... as they have voted overwhelmingly to approve antispam legislation that could end more than six years of failed attempts to create a federal law restricting unsolicited commercial e-mail. The measure aims to curb unwanted e-mail advertisements for Viagra-like products and get-rich pitches by imposing fines and jail time for offenders. It passed by a vote of 392-5 early Saturday, following an all-night session of the House. The Senate is expected to follow next week. Americans "will have the right to say 'Take me off your list, I don't want this in my house,'" said Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M. Another legislator, Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., said the bill "protects our kids from being unwittingly exposed to such garbage that may pop up in the family's in-box." President Bush has indicated he will sign the measure, titled the "Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act" (CAN-SPAM). On Friday evening, the Justice Department and the Commerce Department praised CAN-SPAM as "establishing a framework of technological, administrative, civil and criminal tools" that provide consumers with options to reduce the volume of unwanted e-mail. CAN-SPAM appears to be a compromise that's not as far-reaching as some antispam advocates had urged. It permits, but does not require, the Federal Trade Commission to establish a "do not spam" registry, overrides many state laws, and imposes an "opt out" standard instead of a more stringent "opt in" requirement. If the measure becomes law, certain forms of spam will be officially legalized. The final bill says spammers may send as many "commercial electronic mail messages" as they like--as long as the messages are obviously advertisements with a valid U.S. postal address or P.O. box and an unsubscribe link at the bottom. Junk e-mail essentially would be treated like junk postal mail, with nonfraudulent e-mail legalized until the recipient chooses to unsubscribe. Source: CNET