Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 1, 2019

CONTACT – Mackenzie Lucas 1(202) 225-6572

Congressman Jeff Van Drew’s bill to crack down on robocall violators and scammers, H.R. 1575, the “Robocall Enforcement Enhancement Act of 2019” was one of a handful of important bills to be discussed at this week’s Communications & Technology Subcommittee hearing on “Legislating to Stop the Onslaught of Annoying Robocalls.” H.R. 1575 would crack down on abusive, annoying, and illegal robocalls by providing the necessary tools for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to go after those who violate robocall and spoofing laws and it also lengthens the amount of time that the FCC can go after these transgressors. The Robocall Enforcement Enhancement Act:

• Authorizes the FCC to pursue cases against robocall rule violations without first issuing a citation;

• Increases the statute of limitations for the FCC to pursue spoofing violations from two years to three years; and

• Increases the statute of limitations for the FCC to pursue robocall violations from one year to three years.

As a New Jersey State Senator, Van Drew sponsored the original Do Not Call list for the state and fought to strengthen that list to limit the ability of robocallers to annoy and prey upon our citizens. “Over the years, countless people throughout South Jersey have shared with me that they are constantly harassed by robocalls and scams,” said Representative Van Drew. “Robocall scams not only inconvenience us at the dinner table, but they prey on the vulnerable, including seniors, and it’s despicable.  My bill will help protect consumers by ensuring that robocallers and scammers are prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” 

Robocall scams are at an all-time high and getting worse. One report estimates that the number of spam calls will grow from 30 percent of all phone calls in 2018 to 42 percent in 2019. Data shows that New Jersey residents reported 321,393 robocall complaints last year alone - more than any other state in the nation. Many of these scams take advantage of senior citizens and other vulnerable populations, and it is time we protect consumers by ensuring those who violate the law are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

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