Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-N.J.) has responded to Pearl Jam's criticism of the Better Oversight of Secondary Sales and Accountability in Concert Ticketing Act, defending the proposed legislation and offering to speak with the band.

In a statement sent to Digital Music News, Pascrell wrote, “For decades now, millions of American fans who want nothing more than to enjoy a little entertainment for their buck have been victimized by the opaque live events marketplace. Fans have been pinched, gouged, squeezed, soaked, and outright heisted by a seemingly endless litany of hidden fees, add-ons, and gimmicks created by the unregulated ticket monopolies who operate in the dark with impunity."

“My bill would be the first comprehensive overhauling of this corrupt marketplace. Music and sports fans have waited long enough for relief. Pearl Jam may know a thing or two about making great music, but they’ve been led astray about my legislation. I would be happy to speak with the band about why Live Nation-Ticketmaster doesn’t care about their fans and wants to preserve a corrupt marketplace.”

Pascrell and Frank Pallone Jr. co-wrote the bill, known as the BOSS Act, which was first proposed in 2009 and re-introduced in Congress last year. This past Tuesday, it was reported that Pearl Jam penned a letter to Pallone saying that, while they agree with a couple of provisions, namely that it would require full disclosure of all fees and that it would end "speculative ticketing" by bots, they feel the other aspects -- banning non-transferrable tickets and requiring promoters to reveal how many seats are available -- would ultimately work to the advantage of professional resellers.

The Congressmen concluded his statement by describing his history of taking on the ticket industry, including his opposition to the Ticketmaster-Live Nation merger and frequent calls for stronger regulation.