[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 58 (Thursday, May 5, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E906]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     TRIBUTE TO EILEEN HARRINGTON AND THE DO NOT CALL REGISTRY TEAM

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                         HON. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 2005

  Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, this week is Public Service Recognition 
Week, a week when we salute government employees at the federal, state, 
county and local levels. As a member of the Congressional Public 
Service Caucus, I would like to honor one of my constituents who is a 
model public servant.
  Eileen Harrington, of Kensington, Maryland, is the Associate Director 
for Marketing Practices at the Federal Trade Commission, Bureau of 
Consumer Protection. In this position, Ms. Harrington led the team that 
developed the heralded Do Not Call Registry. Ms. Harrington and her 
team won a 2004 Service to America Medal from the Partnership for 
Public Service and Atlantic Media Company for this great accomplishment 
and they continue to receive accolades for their groundbreaking work.
  Opened on June 27, 2003, the FTC's Do Not Call Registry enables 
consumers to block phone calls from telemarketers. All consumers have 
to do is sign up online or through a toll-free number, and registration 
is free. By any measure, the success of this program has been 
phenomenal.
  The registry quickly became the most searched-for site on the 
Internet, and more than 10 million people were registered in the first 
four days. According to a January 2004 Harris Poll, 91 percent of 
adults have heard of the registry, and 57 percent have actually 
registered--bringing the number of enrollees to almost 60 million. 
Ninety-two percent of enrollees report receiving fewer calls, and 78 
percent say that they get ``far fewer calls'' or none at all.
  Mr. Speaker, Eileen Harrington and the Do Not Call Registry Team 
demonstrates the government's ability to deliver practical solutions 
that are positively improving the everyday lives of millions of 
Americans. I commend Ms. Harrington and the Do Not Call Registry Team 
for their service to our great nation.

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