Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act
Public Law 108-164 · H.R. 3140 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Dec 6, 2003 · Commerce
Sponsor: Rep. Richard Burr (R-NC-5)
Cosponsors (17): Rep. Ed Towns, Rep. Billy Tauzin,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 406 yea, 12 nay406–12
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act - (Sec. 2) Requires a contact lens prescriber (a person permitted under State law to issue prescriptions for contact lenses) to provide a patient with a copy of their contact lens prescription, whether or not requested by the patient, and verify the prescription's accuracy, or make necessary corrections, to a contact lens seller or any person designated by the patient. Prohibits a prescriber from: (1) requiring patients to purchase contact lenses from the prescriber; (2) charging an additional fee for a copy of the prescription; (3) requiring the patient to sign a waiver; and (4) disclaiming liability or responsibility for the accuracy of the eye examination.
(Sec. 3) Allows a prescriber to withhold the contact lens prescription until the prescriber receives payment or proof of insurance coverage only if the prescriber also requires immediate payment from a patient not needing any ophthalmic goods.
(Sec. 4) Allows a seller to fill a prescription for contact lenses only when: (1) a seller receives a contact lens prescription directly or by facsimile; (2) a seller verifies a prescription by direct communication with the prescriber; or (3) the prescriber fails to respond to the seller within eight business hours after being contacted by the seller with the prescription information. Requires a seller to maintain a record of all such communication with a patient or a prescriber.
(Sec. 5) Declares that a contact lens prescription shall expire on the date specified by the law of the State in which it is written, but not less than one year after the issue date of the prescription. Permits an exception for a patient's ocular health.
(Sec. 6) Prohibits advertising that represents that contact lenses may be obtained without a prescription.
(Sec. 8) Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to prescribe rules to carry out this Act.
(Sec. 9) States that any violation of this Act shall be treated as a violation of the Federal Trade Commission Act regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
(Sec. 10) Requires the FTC to report to Congress on: (1) exclusive relationships between prescribers or sellers and contact lens manufacturers and the impact such relationships have on competition; (2) differences between online and off-line sellers of contact lenses; (3) contact lens prescriptions that specify brand name and their impact on competition; (4) the FTC eyeglasses rule, its enforcement, and its impact on competition; and (5) any other issue that affects competition in the sale of contact lenses.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 108th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 406 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
406 yea12 nay17 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(197)
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-14
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-13
Rep. Maxine WatersD-CA-35
Rep. Barbara LeeD-CA-9
Rep. Bob FilnerD-CA-51
Rep. Jan SchakowskyD-IL-9
Rep. Dennis KucinichD-OH-10
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. Lynn WoolseyD-CA-6
Rep. George MillerD-CA-7
Rep. Michael CapuanoD-MA-8
Rep. Raúl GrijalvaD-AZ-7
Rep. John OlverD-MA-1
Rep. Alcee HastingsD-FL-23
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Donald PayneD-NJ-10
Rep. Jesse JacksonD-IL-2
Rep. Maurice HincheyD-NY-22
Rep. Tammy BaldwinD-WI-2
Rep. Jim McGovernD-MA-3
Rep. John TierneyD-MA-6- Rep. Major OwensD-NY-11
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Diane WatsonD-CA-33
Rep. Nydia VelázquezD-NY-12- Rep. Stephanie JonesD-OH-11
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-10
Rep. Hilda SolisD-CA-32
Rep. Wm. ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Mel WattD-NC-12
Rep. Bernie SandersD-VT
Rep. Mike HondaD-CA-15
Rep. Peter DeFazioD-OR-4
Rep. Sam FarrD-CA-17
Rep. Linda SánchezD-CA-39
Rep. Bill DelahuntD-MA-10
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-8
Rep. Danny DavisD-IL-7
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-28- Rep. Julia CarsonD-IN-7
Rep. Carolyn KilpatrickD-MI-13
Rep. Bennie ThompsonD-MS-2
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-30
Rep. Lloyd DoggettD-TX-10
Rep. Sherrod BrownD-OH-13
Rep. Sheila Jackson LeeD-TX-18
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-15
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-8
Rep. Luis GutiérrezD-IL-4
Rep. Bobby RushD-IL-1
Rep. Rush HoltD-NJ-12
Rep. Xavier BecerraD-CA-31
Rep. Tom UdallD-NM-3
Rep. Bobby ScottD-VA-3- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Eddie JohnsonD-TX-30
Rep. Rosa DeLauroD-CT-3
Rep. Frank PalloneD-NJ-6
Rep. José SerranoD-NY-16
Rep. Ed PastorD-AZ-4- Rep. Frank BallanceD-NC-1
Rep. Elijah CummingsD-MD-7
Rep. Diana DeGetteD-CO-1- Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Chaka FattahD-PA-2
Rep. Grace NapolitanoD-CA-38
Rep. Lucille Roybal-AllardD-CA-34
Rep. Jim ClyburnD-SC-6- Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonaldD-CA-37
Rep. John LarsonD-CT-1
Rep. Zoe LofgrenD-CA-16
Rep. Earl BlumenauerD-OR-3
Rep. Lois CappsD-CA-23
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Patrick KennedyD-RI-1
Rep. Tom AllenD-ME-1
Rep. Betty McCollumD-MN-4
Rep. Corrine BrownD-FL-3- Rep. Ted StricklandD-OH-6
Rep. Mark UdallD-CO-2
Rep. Robert BradyD-PA-1
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-5- Rep. Marty MeehanD-MA-5
Rep. Tim RyanD-OH-17
Rep. Robert WexlerD-FL-19
Rep. Chris Van HollenD-MD-8
Rep. Anthony WeinerD-NY-9
Rep. Brad ShermanD-CA-27
Rep. Carolyn MaloneyD-NY-14
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1- Rep. Karen McCarthyD-MO-5
Rep. Brian BairdD-WA-3
Rep. John DingellD-MI-15
Rep. Anna EshooD-CA-14
Rep. Neil AbercrombieD-HI-1
Rep. Loretta SanchezD-CA-47- Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-12
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-5
Rep. Bart StupakD-MI-1
Rep. Rahm EmanuelD-IL-5
Rep. William JeffersonD-LA-2
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-28
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-21
Rep. Kendrick MeekD-FL-17
Rep. Jay InsleeD-WA-1
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-17
Rep. Mike ThompsonD-CA-1
Rep. Rick LarsenD-WA-2
Rep. Ciro RodriguezD-TX-28
Rep. Gregory MeeksD-NY-6
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-5- Rep. Denise MajetteD-GA-4
Rep. Jim LangevinD-RI-2
Rep. Bill PascrellD-NJ-8
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-12
Rep. Brad MillerD-NC-13
Rep. Steven RothmanD-NJ-9
Rep. Bob MenendezD-NJ-13
Rep. Joe CrowleyD-NY-7- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Adam SchiffD-CA-29- Rep. Chris BellD-TX-25
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-18
Rep. Michael DoyleD-PA-14- Rep. Peter DeutschD-FL-20
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-3
Rep. Gene GreenD-TX-29
Rep. Nick LampsonD-TX-9
Rep. Shelley BerkleyD-NV-1
Rep. Stephen LynchD-MA-9
Rep. Ellen TauscherD-CA-10
Rep. David WuD-OR-1
Rep. Joe BacaD-CA-43
Rep. Jerry CostelloD-IL-12
Rep. Susan DavisD-CA-53- Rep. Albert WynnD-MD-4
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Carolyn McCarthyD-NY-4
Rep. Michael MichaudD-ME-2
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Artur DavisD-AL-7
Rep. Jane HarmanD-CA-36
Rep. Rubén HinojosaD-TX-15
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Steve IsraelD-NY-2
Rep. Charlie GonzalezD-TX-20
Rep. Jim MoranD-VA-8
Rep. Darlene HooleyD-OR-5- Rep. Jim DavisD-FL-11
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. A. Dutch RuppersbergerD-MD-2
Rep. Ron KindD-WI-3
Rep. Mike RossD-AR-4
Rep. Silvestre ReyesD-TX-16- Rep. Max SandlinD-TX-1
Rep. Baron HillD-IN-9
Rep. Jim CooperD-TN-5
Rep. Leonard BoswellD-IA-3
Rep. Dennis MooreD-KS-3
Rep. Sanford BishopD-GA-2
Rep. Vic SnyderD-AR-2
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. John TannerD-TN-8
Rep. Mike McIntyreD-NC-7
Rep. Ed CaseD-HI-2
Rep. Earl PomeroyD-ND
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. David ScottD-GA-13
Rep. Tim HoldenD-PA-17
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Jim TurnerD-TX-2
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-3
Rep. Chet EdwardsD-TX-11
Rep. Bart GordonD-TN-6- Rep. Cal DooleyD-CA-20
- Rep. Brad CarsonD-OK-2
Rep. Lincoln DavisD-TN-4
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-4
Rep. Jim MarshallD-GA-3
Rep. Allen BoydD-FL-2
Rep. Jim MathesonD-UT-2- Rep. Chris JohnD-LA-7
Rep. Collin PetersonD-MN-7- Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17
- Rep. Ken LucasD-KY-4
Rep. Rodney AlexanderD-LA-5
Rep. Bud CramerD-AL-5
Republicans who voted yea(209)
- Rep. Jim LeachR-IA-2
Rep. Michael CastleR-DE
Rep. Christopher ShaysR-CT-4
Rep. Timothy JohnsonR-IL-15- Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
- Rep. Rob SimmonsR-CT-2
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-24
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Heather WilsonR-NM-1
Rep. Frank LoBiondoR-NJ-2
Rep. John McHughR-NY-23
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-6
Rep. Steven LaTouretteR-OH-14- Rep. Jack QuinnR-NY-27
Rep. Ray LaHoodR-IL-18- Rep. Sue KellyR-NY-19
Rep. Jim SaxtonR-NJ-3
Rep. Shelley CapitoR-WV-2- Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
- Rep. John SweeneyR-NY-20
- Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-29
Rep. Pete KingR-NY-3
Rep. Jon PorterR-NV-3
Rep. Jim GerlachR-PA-6
Rep. Jo Ann EmersonR-MO-8- Rep. Bill JanklowR-SD
Rep. Mike FergusonR-NJ-7- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-5
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Phil EnglishR-PA-3
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-25
Rep. Tom LathamR-IA-4
Rep. Richard BurrR-NC-5
Rep. Rodney FrelinghuysenR-NJ-11
Rep. Rick RenziR-AZ-1
Rep. Todd PlattsR-PA-19- Rep. Bob NeyR-OH-18
- Rep. George NethercuttR-WA-5
Rep. Mary Bono MackR-CA-45
Rep. Mark KirkR-IL-10- Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-22
Rep. Ed WhitfieldR-KY-1
Rep. Tom DavisR-VA-11
Rep. Greg WaldenR-OR-2
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Dave HobsonR-OH-7- Rep. Tom OsborneR-NE-3
- Rep. Jim GreenwoodR-PA-8
Rep. Ralph HallD-TX-4
Rep. Tim MurphyR-PA-18
Rep. Candice MillerR-MI-10
Rep. Ken CalvertR-CA-44
Rep. Wayne GilchrestR-MD-1- Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
- Rep. Jeb BradleyR-NH-1
Rep. John PetersonR-PA-5
Rep. Lincoln Diaz-BalartR-FL-21- Rep. Mark FoleyR-FL-16
Rep. Chip PickeringR-MS-3
Rep. Thad McCotterR-MI-11
Rep. Deborah PryceR-OH-15- Rep. Anne NorthupR-KY-3
Rep. Michael TurnerR-OH-3
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-41- Rep. Don SherwoodR-PA-10
Rep. Jerry WellerR-IL-11
Rep. Judy BiggertR-IL-13
Rep. W. Bill YoungR-FL-10- Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-8
Rep. Mike RogersR-AL-3
Rep. Don YoungR-AK- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Joe KnollenbergR-MI-9
Rep. Mike SimpsonR-ID-2
Rep. Ander CrenshawR-FL-4
Rep. Dave CampR-MI-4- Rep. Doug OseR-CA-3
Rep. Hal RogersR-KY-5
Rep. Frank LucasR-OK-3
Rep. Ginny Brown-WaiteR-FL-5
Rep. Rob PortmanR-OH-2
Rep. Kay GrangerR-TX-12
Rep. Henry BrownR-SC-1- Rep. Jim NussleR-IA-1
- Rep. Max BurnsR-GA-12
- Rep. Billy TauzinR-LA-3
- Rep. Porter GossR-FL-14
Rep. Darrell IssaR-CA-49
Rep. Elton GalleglyR-CA-24- Rep. Duke CunninghamR-CA-50
Rep. Roger WickerR-MS-1- Rep. Bill ThomasR-CA-22
Rep. Robert AderholtR-AL-4- Rep. Henry BonillaR-TX-23
Rep. Buck McKeonR-CA-25
Rep. David DreierR-CA-26
Rep. Zach WampR-TN-3
Rep. Devin NunesR-CA-21
Rep. Lamar SmithR-TX-21
Rep. Denny RehbergR-MT- Rep. Jennifer DunnR-WA-8
Rep. Mike RogersR-MI-8
Rep. John BoozmanR-AR-3
Rep. John MicaR-FL-7- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. Bill ShusterR-PA-9
Rep. Tom ColeR-OK-4
Rep. Thomas ReynoldsR-NY-26
Rep. Spencer BachusR-AL-6
Rep. Charlie BassR-NH-2
Rep. Kenny HulshofR-MO-9
Rep. Steve PearceR-NM-2- Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
- Rep. Bill JenkinsR-TN-1
Rep. Jo BonnerR-AL-1
Rep. Ron LewisR-KY-2
Rep. Doc HastingsR-WA-4- Rep. Michael BilirakisR-FL-9
Rep. Robin HayesR-NC-8
Rep. Adam PutnamR-FL-12
Rep. Pat TiberiR-OH-12
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Mark SouderR-IN-3
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-52- Rep. Richard PomboR-CA-11
- Rep. Richard BakerR-LA-6
Rep. Steve BuyerR-IN-4- Rep. Katherine HarrisR-FL-13
Rep. Virgil GoodeR-VA-5
Rep. Randy ForbesR-VA-4- Rep. Charles TaylorR-NC-11
Rep. Todd TiahrtR-KS-4
Rep. Dave WeldonR-FL-15
Rep. John DoolittleR-CA-4
Rep. John BoehnerR-OH-8
Rep. George RadanovichR-CA-19- Rep. Ernest IstookR-OK-5
- Rep. Melissa HartR-PA-4
Rep. Roy BluntR-MO-7
Rep. Walter JonesR-NC-3
Rep. John ShimkusR-IL-19
Rep. Dan BurtonR-IN-5
Rep. Bob GoodlatteR-VA-6
Rep. Jim RamstadR-MN-3
Rep. Sam GravesR-MO-6
Rep. John KlineR-MN-2
Rep. Phil GingreyR-GA-11
Rep. Vito FossellaR-NY-13- Rep. Tom DeLayR-TX-22
- Rep. Mark GreenR-WI-8
Rep. Ric KellerR-FL-8
Rep. Terry EverettR-AL-2- Rep. Jim RyunR-KS-2
Rep. Eric CantorR-VA-7
Rep. Mario Diaz-BalartR-FL-25
Rep. John CarterR-TX-31
Rep. David VitterR-LA-1
Rep. Lee TerryR-NE-2- Rep. Scott McInnisR-CO-3
- Rep. Jim GibbonsR-NV-2
Rep. Donald ManzulloR-IL-16
Rep. Rob BishopR-UT-1- Rep. Bob BeauprezR-CO-7
Rep. Jack KingstonR-GA-1
Rep. Joe BartonR-TX-6- Rep. J.D. HayworthR-AZ-5
- Rep. Mark KennedyR-MN-6
- Rep. Chris ChocolaR-IN-2
Rep. Tom PetriR-WI-6
Rep. John CulbersonR-TX-7
Rep. John LinderR-GA-7
Rep. Gary MillerR-CA-42
Rep. Mac ThornberryR-TX-13
Rep. Randy NeugebauerR-TX-19
Rep. Michael BurgessR-TX-26
Rep. Joe WilsonR-SC-2
Rep. Kevin BradyR-TX-8
Rep. Joseph PittsR-PA-16
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Steve ChabotR-OH-1
Rep. Paul RyanR-WI-1
Rep. Marsha BlackburnR-TN-7
Rep. Wally HergerR-CA-2
Rep. Pete SessionsR-TX-32
Rep. Chris CannonR-UT-3- Rep. Charlie NorwoodR-GA-9
- Rep. Phil CraneR-IL-8
Rep. Sue MyrickR-NC-9
Rep. Nathan DealR-GA-10- Rep. John HostettlerR-IN-8
Rep. Steve KingR-IA-5
Rep. Marilyn MusgraveR-CO-4
Rep. Todd AkinR-MO-2
Rep. J. Gresham BarrettR-SC-3
Rep. Jimmy DuncanR-TN-2
Rep. Scott GarrettR-NJ-5
Rep. Cliff StearnsR-FL-6
Rep. Mike PenceR-IN-6
Rep. Tom FeeneyR-FL-24- Rep. Joel HefleyR-CO-5
Rep. Dana RohrabacherR-CA-46
Rep. Jeb HensarlingR-TX-5
Rep. Tom TancredoR-CO-6
Rep. Ed RoyceR-CA-40
Rep. Roscoe BartlettR-MD-6- Rep. Butch OtterR-ID-1
Rep. James SensenbrennerR-WI-5
Rep. Jeff MillerR-FL-1
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 642 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Energy and Commerce Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Innovation, Data, and Commerce Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Related bills
1 bill the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 2221Related bill
Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 21 actions.
- Dec 6, 2003Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-164.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 26, 2003FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 21, 2003FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- Nov 20, 2003FloorFloor · Received in the Senate, read twice, considered, read the third time, and passed without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 19, 2003FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 406 - 12 (Roll no. 644).House roll call 644
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3140.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Burr moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 15, 2003CalendarCalendar · Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 192.
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 108-318.
- Oct 1, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Sep 24, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
- CommitteeCommittee · Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
- Sep 23, 2003CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.