Congress Passes TRACED Act to Crack Down on Robocalls

Statement

The U.S. Senate has passed bipartisan legislation called the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act. U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, is a cosponsor of the bill, which will crack down on robocall abuses. The legislation now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law.

"I am glad Congress came together in a bipartisan fashion to pass this bill, which I was proud to co-sponsor. Not only are robocalls frustrating and bothersome--they can also enable scammers who take advantage of consumers. It is time to free Nebraskans and all Americans from the deluge of unwanted phone calls," said Senator Fischer.

In tandem with federal efforts, states like Nebraska also have been tackling the growing problem of unwanted robocalls. Senator Fischer introduced Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, who testified in support of the TRACED Act at a hearing in the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet on April 11.

"I was proud to testify before the Senate Commerce Committee in support of this legislation earlier this year, and I look forward to working with law enforcement colleagues in developing and deploying meaningful solutions for consumers in the fight against illegal robocalls," said Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson

More information on the TRACED Act:

The legislation would require phone companies to verify where phone calls are coming from, using new caller ID authentication technologies referred to as SHAKEN/STIR. It would also direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create rules to address robocalls blocking services and "one-ring" scams, a deceitful practice in which robocallers allow a phone to ring one time to trick consumers into calling back. The bill would prevent telephone carriers for charging an additional fee to consumers for these services.

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Additionally, the TRACED Act would strengthen the enforcement powers of the FCC to go after robocall scammers -- extending the time the agency can pursue enforcement actions and upping penalties for intentional violations by as much as $10,000.

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