Comments:

April 19, 2004 Office of the Secretary Federal Trade Commission 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20580 Dear Federal Trade Commission: The Association of Science-Technology Centers, Incorporated (ASTC) is an international non-profit organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering the public understanding of science among increasingly diverse audiences. ASTC encourages excellence and innovation in informal science learning by serving and linking its members worldwide and advancing their common goals. Through a variety of programs and services, ASTC provides professional development for the science center field, promotes best practices, supports effective communication, strengthens the position of science centers within the community at large, and fosters the creation of successful partnerships and collaborations. Founded in 1973, ASTC now numbers more than 550 members in 43 countries. Members include not only science-technology centers and science museums, but also nature centers, aquariums, planetariums, zoos, botanical gardens, space theaters, and natural history and children's museums. Sustaining Members are companies that offer products and services to science museums and other organizations that have an interest in informal science education. With regard to the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 and the establishment of related rules and regulations by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), The Association of Science-Technology Centers supports the position of "Independent Sector." Like Independent Sector, ASTC believes that "communications from non-profit organizations in furtherance of their tax-exempt mission should be exempt from restrictions intended for unwanted commercial electronic mail. Non-profit organizations have a responsibility to honor requests from any member of the public to remove his or her name and contact information on future solicitations and other communications. However, provisions must be made to allow adequate time for processing such requests and penalties should provide room for unavoidable circumstances and inadvertent errors." Thank you for allowing the Association of Science-Technology Centers to respond to this issue. Sincerely, Sean Smith Director, Government and Public Relations Association of Science-Technology Centers, Inc. *REDACTED PERSONAL INFORMATION*