Thornberry votes in support of bill to combat incessant robocalls

WASHINGTON– Today, Congress gave final approval to a bill to reduce robocalls. Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Clarendon) voted in favor of S. 151, the “Palone-Thune TRACED Act,” which will go to the President’s desk for signature.He is expected to sign it into law.

“Almost everyone I talk to is affected by incessant robocalls, and they seem to be getting worse. It is more than harassment. Too often these calls take advantage of Americans as callers seek money or personal information,” said Thornberry. “This bill is a good step in reducing the relentless robocalls that have flooded American’s phones. I believe that more action is required, and I will continue to support legislation that targets this issue.”

What does this bill do?

• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) can issue penalties to robocall or spoofing violators of up to $10,000 per violation, with additional penalties of as much as $10,000 for intentional violations.

• The FCC would require service providers to create caller-ID authentication technology to verify if the call is coming from a bad actor.

• Requires the FCC to study whether providers who offer voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services should keep records to allow for tracing of robocalls that use this service.

Additional information:

Congress created the National Do-Not-Call Registry that is managed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). It is enforced by the FTC, the FCC, and state law enforcement officials. Texas also maintains a “Do Not Call” list and an “Electric No Call” list.

Placing your number on the National Do Not Call Registry should reduce most telemarketing calls. You may file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if you received an unwanted call after your number was on the registry atwww.donotcall.gov. However, even if your number is registered, charities, political organizations, and telephone surveyors may continue to call you.