Factoids

Cosponsors to date by party; 18 Republican and 9 Democrat

The bill was introduced by Rep. Walter Jones (R -NC) on 2/27/03 and referred to the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit on 3/14/2003. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.

Rent to Own Online Government Workshop new Rent to Own and Government New Side By Side Comparison of Any State Statute to the Proposed Federal Legislation Related articles most recent first 109th Congress Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act of 2005 Introduced In Senate Opposing Forces; Two Groups At Legislative Odds 108th Congress Session Ends Without Passage Of Rental Purchase Agreement Act; Last Minute Efforts Nearly Win The Day Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Endorses Rental Purchase Agreement Act Rental Purchase Act Looses 5 Key Supporters Schrock And Clay Cosponsor Rental Purchase Agreement Act Text Of Landrieu Statement To The Senate Banking Committee Supporting The Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act "Even Congressmen Use Rent to Own"; Senator Mary Landrieu Opening Statement Audio Senate To Hear Testimony On Rental Purchase Agreement Act Today Virginia Senator Allen Endorses Rental Purchase Agreement Act; Hearing Scheduled For 22nd Washington Senator Patty Murray Cosponsors Rental Purchase Agreement Act; Senate Co-sponsor Count At 50% Shuster and Lampson Cosponsor Rental Purchase Agreement Act Senate Powerhouse Tom Daschle Cosponsors Rental Purchase Agreement Act; Senate Co-sponsor Count Nears 50% Six New Cosponsors For Rental Purchase Agreement Act North Dakota Democrat Senator Byron Dorgan Cosponsors S884; Senate Co-sponsor Count at 23 Missouri Republican Todd Akin Supports Rental Purchase Agreement Act Southern Democrats Co-sponsor Rental Purchase Agreement Act Rent to Own Industry Supporter Doug Bereuter Resigning House Seat For Private Sector Missouri Republican Senator Christopher Bond Cosponsors S884 Senate Co-sponsor Count at 22 Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act Co-Sponsor Rep. Tiberi Introduces "No Down Payment Act" Rent to Own Online Introduces New State Statute Application 20% of Lawmakers Co-Sponsor Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act Illinois Republican Becomes 82nd Representative to Co-sponsor HR996 11 Term Texas Democrat Becomes 81st Representative to Co-sponsor HR996 Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith Cosponsors S884 Senate Co-sponsor Count at 21 Six Term Democrat Tim Holden (PA) Becomes 80th Co-Sponsor of HR996 Senators Roberts and Craig Cosponsor S884 Industry Hits Goal of 20 Co-sponsors by Mid September Kansas Democrat Becomes 79th Co-Sponsor of HR996 Bayh and Baucus Bring Senate Cosponsor Count to 18 Oregon Republican Switches Sides and Becomes 78th Co-Sponsor of HR996 ; Total at 78 Iowa Republican Steve King Co-Sponsors HR996 ; Total at 77 North Dakota Democrat Kent Conrad Brings Senate Cosponsor Count to 16 Kansas Republican Sam Brownback Brings Senate Cosponsor Count to 15 2 More House Democrats Cosponsors HR996; Total at 76 11 New House Cosponsors HR996; Total at 74 Trent Lott (R-MS), Chuck Hagel (R-NE) Bring Senate Cosponsor Count to 14 update HR996 Sponsorship... What's The Real Number? HR996; Movement In House Unlikely Till Senate Gets Off Dime HR 996: Consumer Rental Purchase Agreement Act Thomas Carper (D-DE) Becomes 12th Senate Cosponsor of RTO Legislation Michael Crapo (R-ID) Becomes 11th Senate Cosponsor of RTO Legislation Avalanche of Co-Sponsors for Rent to Own Legislation During APRO Legislative Conference 32 More Stories on Rental Purchase Agreement Act The bill was first introduced by Representative Walter B. Jones of NC in May, 2001. Click here for Rep. Jones Home Page

HR996, legislation that will, for the first time, shift regulation of the RTO industry from the state level to the federal government is slowly gaining momentum.

HR996 was introduced with just 2 cosponsors compared to HR1701 with 13. After a slow start,  20 cosponsors have signed onto the bill in the past 11 days, bringing the grand total to 27; 18 Republican and 9 Democrat, including main sponsor Rep. Walter Jones (R -NC).

The latest Representatives signing onto the bill are...

• Rep Goodlatte, Bob (R-VA)
• Rep Towns, Edolphus (D-NY)
• Rep LaTourette, Steve C. (R-OH)
• Rep Pickering, Charles W. (Chip) (R-MS)

So far there are few surprises. The only cosponsor of HR996 that was not a cosponsor last session is Rep Charles Pickering (R-MS). Mr. Pickering voted in favor of HR1701 but did not co-sponsor the bill.

RTO Online asked Rep. Pickering's Communications Director, Brian Perry, what brought about the increased level of support.

Brian Perry
Communications Director
"[Congressman Pickering] cosponsored HR1634, essentially the same bill in the 106th congress. We supported HR1701 last session but did not cosponsor the bill because we were not asked by supporters or constituents." Mr. Perry added, "Congressman Pickering's co-sponsorship of HR996 shows an increased awareness."

Notably absent as cosponsors of HR996 are early sponsors of HR1701. Republicans John Boehner (R-OH 8th) and Zach Wamp (R-TN 3rd), and Democrats William Jefferson (D-LA 2nd), Harold Ford (D-TN 9th) and Max Sandlin (D-TX 1st).

Granted it's early, HR996 was introduced 2 months earlier in the session than HR1701, but Democratic support seems to have waned. Whether a result of timing, a change in Dem leadership, or lobbyist focus on the majority, time will tell.

Existing Co-sponsors

• Main Sponsor Rep. Walter Jones (R -NC)
  Co-Sponsors
• Darlene Hooley (D-OR)
• Mike Ross (D-AR)
• Rep Goode, Virgil H., Jr. (R-VA)
• Rep Davis, Jo Ann (R-VA)
• Rep Turner, Jim (D-TX)
• Rep Ney, Robert W. (R-OH)
• Rep Frost, Martin (D-TX)
• Rep Isakson, Johnny (R-GA)
• Rep McCrery, Jim  (R-LA)
• Rep Kelly, Sue W.  (R-NY)
• Rep Kanjorski, Paul E. (D-PA)
• Rep Terry, Lee  (R-NE)
• Rep Lucas, Ken  (D-KY)
• Rep Sessions, Pete  (R-TX)
• Rep Baker, Richard H.  (R-LA)
• Rep Sherman, Brad  (D-CA)
• Rep Spratt, John M., Jr.  (D-SC)
• Rep Gillmor, Paul (R-OH)
• Rep Royce, Edward (R-CA)
• Rep Sweeney, John (R-NY)
• Rep Tiberi, Patrick (R-OH )
• Rep Bartlett, Roscoe  (R-MD)

The bill was introduced by Rep. Walter Jones (R -NC) on 2/27/03 and referred to the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit on 3/14/2003. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.