WASHINGTON, DC - Last year American consumers were pestered with 47.8 billion robocalls. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act was introduced by bipartisan leaders in the Energy and Commerce Committee to combat these illegal spam calls. Recently, this legislation passed out of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology with strong bipartisan support.
Here’s What They Are Saying:
Walden joins with Dem rep to take out robocalls
The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr., D-New Jersey, and Republican leader Greg Walden, R-Oregon, teamed up to stop robocalls.
They pair Thursday unveiled bipartisan legislation, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, to end illegal robocall practices.
“Americans deserve to be free of the daily danger and harassment of robocalls," Pallone and Walden said in a joint statement. “It’s time we end the robocall epidemic and restore trust back into our phone system. We’re pleased to announce we’ve reached a deal on comprehensive bipartisan legislation to stop illegal robocalls."
Seniors, beware of scams: Latta introduces legislation to stop robocalls
One of Bob Latta’s constituents was recently scammed out of $10,000 using the grandchild scheme, where a caller says he is to trying to help the person’s grandchild out of a problem, like jail or an accident. They convinced the grandparent that they need money and demand cash or money cards.
In this case they sent $5,000 and the next day another $5,000 was sent. Ten thousand dollars disappeared within 24 hours.
Anyone can fall victim to a scam, but U.S. Rep. Latta, R-Bowling Green, wants everyone to spread the word and be vigilant and cautious of anything that does not sound right.
He hosted a Stopping Senior Scams Workshop last month at Penta Career Center in Perrysburg.
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Latta is the Republican leader on the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and has been initiating efforts to address consumer scams, particularly robocalls. He has helped introduce legislation to stop robocalls and help eliminate the scams by giving oversight agencies and private companies additional tools to block calls.
Gianforte Introduces Legislation To Combat Robocalls In Mont.
Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte recently introduced legislation to help identify and prosecute companies who participate in illegal robocalls. On Tuesday, the Tracing Back and Catching Unlawful Robocalls Act was unanimously adopted as an amendment to the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act.
“Stopping Bad Robocalls Act will require phone companies to provide call authentication technology, offer call blocking services, and will give the FCC more tools to track down bad actors at no additional cost to consumers," Gianforte said. “Legislation would require a report on the private efforts of companies to implement traceback technology, its effectiveness, and which companies participate."
McEachin touts adoption of amendment to prevent fraudulent, abusive robocalls
Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) and Congressman Pete Olson (TX-22) comment after their bipartisan amendment was adopted during consideration of H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act.
The amendment directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide evidence of unlawful robocall violations to the attorney general. It would also require the FCC to publish and submit to Congress a report outlining the number and types of robocaller violations. This would strengthen enforcement of current law aimed at ending the scourge of predatory robocalls. H.R. 3375, as amended, will now go to the full Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.
Morgan Griffith: The Scourge Of Robo Calls
I’ve heard from many of you in recent months regarding the frustration and anxiety that comes with being targeted by unsolicited phone calls. I have also been frustrated and recently ignored for several hours a call from my bank investigating credit card fraud because I thought it was a robocall.
The negative effects of robocalls and spoofing are many. Beyond being an insufferable nuisance, robocalls are deployed as part of scams that defraud consumers, disrupt our medical centers, and erode trust within communities.
Last year, Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts received more than 4,500 calls during a two-hour period, an assault that disrupted communications for hours.
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To that end, I am co-sponsoring H.R. 3375, the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act.
This legislation would require service providers to implement call authentication technology to restore the reliability of consumer caller IDs, allow carriers to offer call blocking services at no additional charge to the consumer, direct the FCC to issue new rules protecting consumers from unsolicited calls, and ensure that the FCC has the tools necessary to pursue swift action against robocallers once they have been identified.
