Not a very strong tie, but this U.S. legislator isn't concerned about that

Judging from the way Bill Frist, the United States Senate Majority Leader is going about maneuvering his anti-gambling interests about Washington, that he intends to let nothing stop him from getting what he intends to get. In fact, in order to get his bill presented on the Senate floor, he is attaching it to proposals that have nothing to do with online gambling.
For example, it was reported this with week in the Associated Press that the Frist has cunningly attempted to employ a bill permitting funding for U.S. operations such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, to stop the use of credit cards by those desiring to settle their online gambling debts.
Hailing from Tennessee, Frist, the Republican lawmaker, along with his assistants, have actually been talking to House and Senate lawmakers and officials with the intention of getting them to support his anti-online gaming measures which he is having attached to an authorization bill of the Defense Department which is a compromise measure. This is according to a Republican senatorial leadership aide.
It was in July that the House approved an Internet gambling measure version. Meantime however, the Senate, which is very busy, has done nothing to present like legislation. This may be on account of stiff opposition from the banking industry because of the burden that would be placed on it, and because of certain opposition with regard to carve-outs.
The complete details as regards the Frist proposal have yet to be released. It has been said by a Senate leadership aid and by other lobbyists that have been watching what is going on here however, that he is trying to get through a version of this legislature that would not be as broad in scope as that passed by the House, but he is reportedly pushing for an approach that isn't quite as sweeping as the House measure. Because of the fact that the negotiations on this legislation is ongoing, they all spoke only on condition of remaining anonymous.
It is said that Frist is looking to run for the presidency in 2008 and in line with this, recently went to the politically significant state of Iowa to discuss an online gambling measure and pledged his support for any such ban. While recently speaking on the Senate floor, he mentioned such a ban as being of great priority.
In addition to various anti-gamblng groups and other conservative movements, the measure's mean supporters are the National Football League and other sports bodies. In addition to word from some quatrters about the need for exceptions for horse racing and lotteries, the main  groups lobbying against it is the banking community.

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