WASHINGTON, D.C. - Representative Greg Walden (R-Oregon) said that Congress must stop bad robocalls from burdening Americans. During an Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology markup for the the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, Walden said, “Illegal robocalls affect the life of every American in harmful ways.”
During the hearing, Walden highlighted the severity of the problem, noting that, “According to one study last year, 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide. Apparently it’s up to 25 billion this year already. That is 76 per person affected. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would require phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust their caller ID at no cost of their own. The bill also includes provisions that would help carriers in rural America implement this new technology and would ensure that consumers have safeguards to prevent important calls from being blocked.
“When you receive a call from an unfamiliar number with a familiar area code - say 541 for Oregonians in my district - you should be confident that there is a legitimate reason for the call,” said Walden. “Our legislation takes steps to give consumers more confidence.”