Announced Actions for May 4, 1999

The Federal Trade Commission announces the following actions.

• FTC Chairman Robert Pitofsky will present Commission testimony today before the U.S. Senate's Subcommittee on Antitrust, Business Rights, and Competition, about the FTC's experience with the positive comity process and the role that positive comity plays as an antitrust enforcement tool.
  
  
  NOTE: The written statement delivered by Chairman Pitofsky represents the views of the Federal Trade Commission. The Chairman's presentation and responses to questions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission of any individual Commissioner.

Consent agreements given final approval: Following a public comment period, the Commission has made final a consent agreement with the following entity. The Commission action makes the consent order binding on the respondent.

• Service Corporation International -- The Commission vote to make the order final was 4-0. (See news release dated January 15, 1999; Docket No. C-3869; Staff contact is: Joseph Brownman, 202-326-2605.)

Amended Complaints:

• The Commission has voted 4-0 to dismiss its federal court case against Ralph Lewis Mitchell, Jr., doing business as Mitchell Enterprises, brought as part of "Operation New ID --Bad IDea," a law enforcement sweep focusing on companies that illegally encouraged consumers to create false credit identities. (FTC Matter No.: x990031; Staff contact is: Raymond E. McKown, 310-824-4325.)

• The Commission has voted 4-0 to add a relief defendant to its complaint against Win USA Services Ltd., et al. The FTC's complaint charged that defendants Win USA Services Ltd., IRAL Services Inc., IRAL Enterprises Inc, Michael Ghirra and Bobby Ghirra operated a fraudulent lottery telemarketing business out of British Columbia, Canada. The FTC has now named Hari Bans Ghirra, father of Michael and Bobby Ghirra, as a relief defendant. (See news release dated November 19, 1998; FTC File No.: x990006; Staff contact is: Mary Benfield, 206-220-6350.)

Advisory Opinion

• Staff of the Federal Trade Commission have advised Wesley Health Care Center, Inc., (Wesley) that its plan to fill, at cost, prescriptions for volunteers who work at the nursing home, would be protected by the Non-Profit Institutions Act (NPIA), which exempts from the Robinson-Patman Act "purchases of their supplies for their own use by . . . hospitals, and charitable institutions not operated for profit." (See letter dated April 29, 1999; Staff contact is Richard Feinstein, 202-326-3688.)
  
  
  NOTE: This letter sets out the views of the staff of the FTC's Bureau of Competition, as authorized by the Commission's Rules of Practice. It has not been reviewed or approved by the Commission. As the Commission's rules explain, the staff's advice is rendered "without prejudice to the right of the Commission later to rescind the advice and, where appropriate, to commence an enforcement proceeding."

Copies of the documents mentioned above are available from the FTC's web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580; 202-FTC-HELP (202-382-4357); TDD for the hearing impaired 1-866-653-4261. Consent agreements subject to public comment also are available by calling 202-326-3627. To find out the latest news as it is announced, call the FTC NewsPhone recording at 202-326-2710.