Another Win for Consumers

Few things rankle consumers as much as unwanted calls and texts. Thanks to the passage of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, consumers can choose which calls they want and do not want. Yet, in order to maintain those protections, we must continue to close loopholes and empower consumers. The responsibility to protect consumers from robocalls that can be both costly and intrusive does not expire with changes in technology. That's why I am proposing today the FCC crack down on robocalls, robotexts, and telemarketing calls -- the number one source of consumer complaints at the FCC. I am proposing that the FCC rule on more than 20 pending petitions related to consumer protection and send one clear message: consumers have the right to control the calls and texts they receive, and the FCC is moving to enforce those rights and protect consumers against robocalls, spam texts, and telemarketing. We will empower and protect consumers in a number of ways.

First, we are giving the green light for robocall-blocking technology, declaring that these market-based solutions can be offered without violating our call-completion rules. The FCC wants to make it clear: telephone companies can -- and in fact should -- offer consumers robocall-blocking tools.

Second, we close a number of potential loopholes. For example, we clarify the definition of "autodialers" to include any technology with the potential to dial random or sequential numbers. This ruling is true to Congress's intent when passing the law, and would ensure that robocallers cannot skirt consent requirements through changes in technology design. We also close the "reassigned number" loophole, making clear that consumers who inherit a phone number will not be subject to a barrage of unwanted robocalls OK'd by the previous owner of the number.

Third, we make it easier for consumers to say "no" to robocalls. People won't have to fill out a form and mail it in to stop unwanted calls and texts. Any reasonable way of saying "no" is allowed.