[5]
Congressman Greg Walden,
Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released the following statement after the House passed the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act [6]:
Last year alone, 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide. Already this year, there have been 25 billion robocalls — that is over 76 per person so far this year. Oregonians in the 541 area code received an estimated 11.5 million robocalls last month. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would require phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust the calls they receive at no cost of their own. The bill also would provide safeguards that prevent consumers from having important calls, such as from their doctor, blocked.
“Robocalls are a menace, and today Congress took steps to put an end to these pesky, illegal calls,” said Walden. “When you receive a call, you should be able to trust that there is a legitimate reason for that call — especially when it is from a familiar area code, like 541. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would ensure that consumers are no longer pestered by these calls.”
Walden has long been an advocate for stopping illegal robocalls. As Republican Leader of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, he helped usher this legislation through both the Committee and now the House. Last Congress, he worked hard to pass the RAY BAUM’s Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades and provided the FCC with tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers.
“I have already held 35 town halls this year, and at practically every single town hall someone brought up robocalls and the problems they have caused,” said Walden. “I am pleased that today Congress listened to the American people and voted to end these annoying calls. I look forward to working with the Senate to ensure that this bill swiftly gets to the President’s desk.”