WASHINGTON, DC - Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Republican Leader Greg Walden (R-OR) released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced a plan to implement provisions from the RAY BAUM’S Act to ban malicious spoofing calls and text messages:
“Last Congress, we began legislating against fraudulent robocalls and spoofing with the RAY BAUM’S Act, arming the FCC with new tools to protect consumers. We applaud the Commission’s proposal to implement these tools in an all-hands-on-deck approach that will help us stay one step ahead of the overseas scammers who seek to defraud Americans personally and professionally. In concert with our bipartisan Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, this action furthers our commitment to shield Americans from illegal robocalls that perpetuate fraud, threaten personal privacy, and undermine our telecommunications system. We look forward to moving our legislation across the finish line to build on the progress made with the RAY BAUM’S Act and cut the line on illegal robocalls once and for all."
Background
Last Congress, the historic, committee-led RAY BAUM’S Act was signed into law and contained several provisions to help the FCC and law enforcement protect consumers from malicious robocalls and spoofing. In May, a bipartisan group of 42 State Attorneys General weighed in with the FCC, encouraging the Commission to adopt the changes included in the RAY BAUM’S Act. Last year, an estimated 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide, an increase of 17 billion calls over the previous year. Illegal and spoofing robocalls affect American life In increasingly harmful ways, from scams to defraud consumers to disrupting our health care system.
This Congress, Republican Leader Walden, Chairman Pallone, Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Mike Doyle (D-PA), and Communications and Technology Subcommittee Republican Leader Bob Latta (R-OH) have introduced the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act to stop illegal robocall practices.
