Bipartisan bill to increase cooperation between feds, private sector to fight overseas scams backed by AARP, USTelecom
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) recently introduced the bipartisan Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, legislation that would bring together government and private sector experts to find additional means of eliminating unlawful robocalls placed into the U.S. from abroad.
“Robocalls from scammers aren’t just annoying, they victimize tens of millions of Americans, stealing billions of dollars from unsuspecting individuals,” said Senator Budd. “With many robocalls originating overseas, combining the efforts of government agencies in charge of protecting Americans from scams with private sector expertise will help us stay ahead of cutting-edge technologies used by foreign criminal enterprises. I am proud to join Sen. Welch to build on the important steps Congress has taken to curb these harmful robocalls, and better protect Americans from being preyed on by criminal enterprises across the globe.”
“Vermonters receive nearly 3.5 million robocalls every month. And it’s not only our state—folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re talking to a friend or being scammed. To make matters worse, foreign robocallers are stepping up their efforts to exploit and prey on vulnerable people,” said Senator Welch. “Our bipartisan bill will help combat unlawful foreign robocalls and protect Americans from scams.”
The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act has received key endorsements from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and USTelecom.
Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, AARP, said:
“AARP, which advocates on behalf of more than 100 million Americans age 50 and older, is pleased to endorse the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act. This legislation represents a critical next step in protecting Americans from fraudulent and abusive robocalls originating from outside the United States. Older Americans are disproportionately targeted by robocall scams, which often lead to financial loss, identity theft, and emotional distress. These calls not only exploit individuals but also erode trust in telecommunications systems and public institutions. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act builds upon the TRACED Act and addresses this growing threat by convening a task force of government and private sector experts to develop actionable strategies for eliminating harmful foreign robocalls.”
Josh Bercu, Senior Vice President, Policy at USTelecom – The Broadband Association and Executive Director, The Industry Traceback Group, said:
“Illegal robocalls are not just a nuisance—they’re a threat to vulnerable Americans and a tool for scammers around the world. Thanks to strong partnerships between the Industry Traceback Group and federal, state, and local law enforcement, we’ve made measurable progress in stopping these bad actors. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act builds on this success to empower industry and law enforcement to use what works to crack down on the bad actors overseas preying on Americans. Big thanks to Senators Budd and Welch for their leadership and commitment to consumer protection.”
BACKGROUND:
Building off of important work Congress has already done, like the TRACED Act, the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act would create an interagency taskforce consisting of key representatives from the Federal Communications Commission, Federal Trade Commission, and Department of Justice as well as key experts in the field of voice service and analytics, telecommunications technology, marketing organizations, and consumer advocates. This task force will evaluate foreign robocalls and how best to combat them, with the goal of increasing international cooperation to reduce illegal robocalls. The task force will also help ensure that the Department of Justice is adequately equipped to address and prosecute criminals behind the influx of foreign robocalls.
The bill also extends the FCC’s renewal period for the Industry Traceback Group from one year to three years. That change will help the Traceback Group, established in the TRACED Act, continue its successful work of tracing back the source of unlawful robocalls.
Read the full text of this bill HERE.
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