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Taking Strong Action Against Robocalls

December 6, 2019
Weekly Columns

At their best, robocalls are a frustrating nuisance. At their worst, robocalls are a means by which criminals scam people to get money or personal information. Robocalls have been around for years, but an estimated 48 billion robocalls occurred in 2018 – a 64 percent increase since 2016. Many of you have received these calls, some even posing as your own phone number.

That's why I was so glad to see Congress taking strong bipartisan action against robocalls with the passage of Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act. The House passed a Senate version of the bill with a vote of 417-3, and it now heads to President Trump to be signed into law.

The TRACED Act implements a nationwide caller ID system so consumers can immediately verify that the person calling their phone is someone they know. Consumers will also be able to block unlawful calls, at no extra charge. Finally, the TRACED Act equips the Federal Communications Commission and law enforcement officials with the necessary tools to go after robocallers breaking the law.

I'm glad to finally see action on an issue that affects much of the Fourth District. No one has the right to use an anonymous call to defraud or deceive American families. I hope President Trump quickly signs the TRACED Act into law.

Issues:Security