,i  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #idf  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of   
,,representatives  ,february #d1        
#bjai,mr4 ,pallone 7for himself1 ,ms4   
,eshoo1 ,mr4 ,engel1 ,ms4 ,de,gette1    
,mr4 ,michael ,f4 ,doyle of             
,pennsylvania1 ,ms4 ,matsui1 ,mr4       
,mc,nerney1 ,mr4 ,welch1 ,mr4 ,lujn1    
,ms4 ,clarke of ,new ,york1 ,mr4        
,loebsack1 ,mr4 ,veasey1 ,mr4           
,mc,eachin1 ,mr4 ,soto1 ,mr4            
,o',halleran1 ,mr4 ,connolly1 ,ms4      
,norton1 and ,mr4 ,crist7 introduced the
 following bill2 which was referred to  
the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,communications
 ,act of #aicd to clarify the           
prohibitions on making robocalls1 and   
for other purposes4  #a4 ,short title   
,this ,act may be cited as the ,stopping
 ,bad ,robocalls ,act4  #b4             
,prohibitions on making robocalls  7a7  
,in general ,section #bbg of the        
,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7 is amended--  7#a7 in   

subsection 7a71 by amending paragraph   
7#a7 to read as follows3  7#a7 ,the term
 robocall means a call made 7including a
 text message sent7--  7,a7 using       
equipment that makes a series of calls  
to stored telephone numbers1 including  
numbers stored on a list1 or to         
telephone numbers produced using a      
random or sequential number generator1  
except for a call made using only       
equipment that the caller demonstrates  
requires substantial additional human   
intervention to dial or place a call    
after a human initiates the series of   
calls2 or  7,b7 using an artificial or  
prerecorded voice4  2  7#b7 in          
subsection 7b7--  7,a7 in paragraph     
7#a7-- 7i7 in subparagraph 7,a7--  7,i7 
by striking any call and inserting any  
robocall2 and  7,,ii7 by striking using 
any automatic telephone dialing system  
or an artificial or prerecorded voice2  
7ii7 in subparagraph 7,b7-- 7,i7 by     
striking telephone call and inserting   
robocall2 and  7,,ii7 by striking using 

an artificial or prerecorded voice to   
deliver a message2 and  7iii7 in        
subparagraph 7,d71 by striking use an   
automatic telephone dialing system and  
inserting make robocalls2 and  7,b7 in  
paragraph 7#b77;,a71 by striking calls  
made using an artificial or prerecorded 
voice and inserting robocalls2  7#c7 in 
subsection 7d7--  7,a7 in paragraph     
7#a77;,a7-- 7i7 by striking telephone   
call using any automatic telephone      
dialing system and inserting robocall   
described in subsection 7a77#a77;,a7    
using any equipment2 and  7ii7 by       
striking or automatic telephone dialing 
system and inserting or to make any     
robocall described in subsection        
7a77#a77;,a72 and  7,b7 in paragraph    
7#c7--  7i7 in the heading1 by inserting
 robocall after voice2  7ii7 in the     
first sentence1 by striking artificial  
or prerecorded voice message via        
telephone and inserting robocall        
described in subsection 7a77#a77;,b72   
and  7iii7 in subparagraph 7,a71 by     

striking all artificial or prerecorded  
telephone messages and inserting the    
artificial or prerecorded voice message 
contained in any robocall described in  
such subsection2 and  7#d7 in subsection
 7f77#a7--  7,a7 by striking            
subparagraphs 7,b7 and 7,c7 and         
inserting the following3  7,b7 the      
making of robocalls2 or  2 and  7,b7 by 
redesignating subparagraph 7,d7 as      
subparagraph 7,c74  7b7 ,manner of      
revoking prior express consent ,section 
#bbg7;b7 of the ,communications ,act of 
#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;b77 is       
amended--  7#a7 by redesignating        
paragraph 7#c7 as paragraph 7#g72 and   
7#b7 by inserting after paragraph 7#b7  
the following3  7#c7 ,manner of revoking
 prior express consent ,for purposes of 
this subsection1 prior express consent  
may be revoked at any time and in any   
reasonable manner1 regardless of the    
context in which consent was provided4  
4  7c7 ,deadline for regulations ,not   
later than #a year after the date of the

 enactment of this ,act1 the ,federal   
,communications ,commission shall       
prescribe such regulations1 or amend    
such existing regulations1 as necessary 
to implement the amendments made by this
 section4 ,such regulations shall       
include such clarifications regarding   
descriptions of equipment and services  
as will1 in the judgment of the         
,commission1 effectuate the consumer    
protection purposes of section #bbg of  
the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg  
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg71 prevent circumvention  
or evasion of such section1 and         
facilitate compliance with such section4
  7d7 ,report to ,congress on text      
messages ,not later than #fj days after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
after notice and an opportunity for     
public comment1 the ,federal            
,communications ,commission shall submit
 to ,congress a report on how best to   
limit the number of unwanted text       
messages received by consumers4 ,such   
report shall contain recommendations by 

the ,commission1 including              
recommendations for potential           
legislation4  #c4 ,consumer protections 
for exemptions  7a7 ,in general ,section
 #bbg7;b77#b7 of the ,communications    
,act of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4            
#bbg7;b77#b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in      
subparagraph 7,g77ii71 by striking 2 and
 and inserting a semicolon2  7#b7 in    
subparagraph 7,h71 by striking the      
period at the end and inserting 2 and2  
and  7#c7 by adding at the end the      
following3  7,i7 shall ensure that any  
exemption under subparagraph 7,b7 or    
7,c7 contains requirements for calls    
made in reliance on the exemption with  
respect to--  7i7 the classes or        
categories of parties that may make such
 calls2  7ii7 the classes or categories 
of parties that may be called2  7iii7   
the purposes for which such calls may be
 made2  7iv7 the number of such calls   
that a calling party may make to a      
particular called party2 and  7v7 the   
obligation of the calling party-- 7,i7  

to provide the called party with a      
conspicuous consumer choice mechanism   
that permits the called party1 at any   
time1 to indicate that the called party 
wishes to stop receiving such calls from
 the calling party2 and  7,,ii7 to stop 
making such calls to the called party if
 the called party so indicates4  4  7b7 
,deadline for regulations ,in the case  
of any exemption issued under           
subparagraph 7,b7 or 7,c7 of section    
#bbg7;b77#b7 of the ,communications ,act
 of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;b77#b77  
before the date of the enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,federal ,communications     
,commission1 shall1 not later than #a   
year after such date of enactment1      
prescribe such regulations1 or amend    
such existing regulations1 as necessary 
to ensure that such exemption meets the 
requirements of subparagraph 7,i7 of    
such section1 as added by subsection    
7a74  #d4 ,reassigned number database2  
safe harbor  7a7 ,in general ,section   
#bbg7;b7 of the ,communications ,act of 

#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;b771 as      
amended by section #b7;b71 is further   
amended by inserting after paragraph    
7#c7 the following3  7#d7 ,reassigned   
number database2 safe harbor  7,a7      
,database required ,the ,commission     
shall establish a nationwide database of
 telephone numbers that have been       
reassigned in order to provide persons  
making calls subject to this subsection 
with the comprehensive and timely       
information that such persons need to   
avoid making calls without the prior    
express consent of the called party     
because of the reassignment of the      
number called to a different party4 ,the
 ,commission shall ensure that          
information in the database required by 
this subparagraph is up-to-date4  7,b7  
,provider participation required ,the   
,commission shall require each covered  
provider to report to the database      
required by subparagraph 7,a7 the       
reassignment of any telephone number to 
or from a subscriber of such provider4  

7,c7 ,safe harbor ,beginning on the date
 of the establishment of the database   
required by subparagraph 7,a71 in the   
case of a person who makes a call       
subject to this subsection to a         
telephone number that has been          
reassigned from a subscriber who had    
given prior express consent to be called
 by such person1 such person shall not  
be found in violation of this subsection
 on the basis of not having the prior   
express consent of the called party to  
make such call1 if such person shows    
that--  7i7 such person had the prior   
express consent of such subscriber and  
such consent had not been revoked as of 
the time of such call2  7ii7 such person
 queried such database before making    
such call1 the query did not show such  
number as being reassigned from such    
subscriber1 and such person made such   
call within a reasonable period of time 
7as defined by the ,commission7 after   
such query2  7iii7 the failure of such  
query to show such number as being      

reassigned from such subscriber resulted
 from an inaccuracy on the part of--    
7,i7 the ,commission or other entity    
administering such database2 or  7,,ii7 
a covered provider in reassigning such  
number or in making a report to such    
database about the reassignment of such 
number2  7iv7 such person did not       
otherwise know or have any reason to    
know that such number had been          
reassigned from such subscriber2  7v7   
such call would have complied with the  
requirements of this subsection but for 
the lack of the prior express consent of
 the called party2 and  7vi7 such       
person-- 7,i7 took affirmative steps to 
correct the internal records of such    
person with respect to such number2 and 
7,,ii7 reported to such database any    
inaccuracy that such person discovered  
with respect to such number in such     
database4  7,d7 ,rule of construction   
,nothing in this paragraph shall be     
construed to preclude the ,commission   
from contracting with a private entity  

to provide the database required by     
subparagraph 7,a74  7,e7 ,covered       
provider defined ,in this paragraph1 the
 term covered provider means a provider 
of voice service or text messaging      
service 7as such terms are defined in   
subsection 7e77#h774  4  7b7            
,clarification of definition of called  
party  7#a7 ,in general ,section        
#bbg7;a7 of the ,communications ,act of 
#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;a77 is       
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  7#f7 ,the term called party 
means1 with respect to a call1 the      
current subscriber of the telephone     
number to which the call is made1       
determined at the time when the call is 
made4  4  7#b7 ,conforming amendments   
,section #bbg7;d77#c77;,b7 of the       
,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;d77#c77;,b77 is         
amended-- 7,a7 by striking called       
party's line each place it appears and  
inserting telephone line called2 and    
7,b7 by striking called party has hung  

up and inserting answering party has    
hung up4  7c7 ,deadline for regulations 
and establishment of database ,not later
 than #a year after the date of the     
enactment of this ,act1 the ,federal    
,communications ,commission shall--     
7#a7 prescribe regulations to implement 
the amendments made by this section2 and
  7#b7 establish the database required  
by such amendments4  7d7 ,transitional  
rule regarding definition of covered    
provider ,subparagraph 7,e7 of paragraph
 7#d7 of subsection 7b7 of section #bbg 
of the ,communications ,act of #aicd    
7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg71 as added by       
subsection 7a7 of this section1 shall   
apply before the effective date of the  
amendment made to subsection 7e77#h7 of 
such section #bbg by subparagraph 7,c7  
of section #ejc7;a77#b7 of division ,p  
of the ,consolidated ,appropriations    
,act1 #bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada7 as  
if such amendment was already in effect4
  #e4 ,enforcement  7a7 ,no citation    
required ,to seek forfeiture penalty    

7#a7 ,for robocall violations ,section  
#bbg7;b7 of the ,communications ,act of 
#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;b771 as      
amended by sections #b7;b7 and #d7;a71  
is further amended by inserting after   
paragraph 7#d7 the following3  7#e7 ,no 
citation required to seek forfeiture    
penalty ,paragraph 7#e7 of section      
#ejc7;b7 shall not apply in the case of 
a violation of this subsection4  4  7#b7
 ,for caller identification information 
violations ,section                     
#bbg7;e77#e77;,a77iii7 of the           
,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77#e77;,a77iii77 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following3 ,paragraph 7#e7 of section   
#ejc7;b7 shall not apply in the case of 
a violation of this subsection44  7b7   
#d-,year statute of limitations  7#a7   
,for robocall violations ,section       
#bbg7;b7 of the ,communications ,act of 
#aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;b771 as      
amended by sections #b7;b7 and #d7;a7   
and subsection 7a77#a7 of this section1 

is further amended by inserting after   
paragraph 7#e7 the following3  7#f7     
#d-year statute of limitations          
,notwithstanding paragraph 7#f7 of      
section #ejc7;b71 no forfeiture penalty 
for violation of this subsection shall  
be determined or imposed against any    
person if the violation charged occurred
 more than #d years prior to the date of
 issuance of the notice required by     
paragraph 7#c7 of such section or the   
notice of apparent liability required by
 paragraph 7#d7 of such section 7as the 
case may be74  4  7#b7 ,for caller      
identification information violations   
,section #bbg7;e77#e77;,a77iv7 of the   
,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77#e77;,a77iv77 is     
amended-- 7,a7 in the heading1 by       
striking #b-year and inserting #d-year2 
and  7,b7 by striking #b years and      
inserting #d years4  #f4 ,annual report 
to ,congress ,section #bbg of the       
,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7 is further amended by   

adding at the end the following3  7i7   
,annual report to ,congress on robocalls
 and transmission of misleading or      
inaccurate caller identification        
information  7#a7 ,report required ,not 
later than #a year after the date of the
 enactment of the ,stopping ,bad        
,robocalls ,act1 and annually           
thereafter1 the ,commission1 after      
consultation with the ,federal ,trade   
,commission1 shall submit to ,congress a
 report regarding enforcement by the    
,commission of subsections 7b71 7d71 and
 7e7 during the preceding calendar year4
  7#b7 ,matters for inclusion ,each     
report required by paragraph 7#a7 shall 
include the following3 7,a7 ,the number 
of complaints received by the           
,commission during each of the preceding
 five calendar years1 for each of the   
following categories3  7i7 ,complaints  
alleging that a consumer received a     
robocall in violation of subsection 7b74
  7ii7 ,complaints alleging that a      
consumer received a robocall in         

violation of the standards prescribed   
under subsection 7d74  7iii7 ,complaints
 alleging that a consumer received a    
call in connection with which misleading
 or inaccurate caller identification    
information was transmitted in violation
 of subsection 7e74  7,b7 ,the number of
 citations issued by the ,commission    
pursuant to section #ejc7;b7 during the 
preceding calendar year to enforce      
subsection 7d71 and details of each such
 citation4  7,c7 ,the number of notices 
of apparent liability issued by the     
,commission pursuant to section #ejc7;b7
 during the preceding calendar year to  
enforce subsections 7b71 7d71 and 7e71  
and details of each such notice         
including the proposed forfeiture       
amount4  7,d7 ,the number of final      
orders imposing forfeiture penalties    
issued pursuant to section #ejc7;b7     
during the preceding calendar year to   
enforce such subsections1 and details of
 each such order including the total    
forfeiture imposed4  7,e7 ,the amount of

 forfeiture penalties or criminal fines 
collected1 during the preceding calendar
 year1 by the ,commission or the        
,attorney ,general for violations of    
such subsections1 and details of each   
case in which such a forfeiture penalty 
or criminal fine was collected4  7,f7   
,proposals for reducing by half the     
number of calls made in violation of    
such subsections4  7,g7 ,an analysis of 
the contribution by providers of        
interconnected ,vo,i,p service and      
non-interconnected ,vo,i,p service that 
discount high-volume1 short-duration    
calls to the total number of robocalls1 
and recommendations on how to address   
such contribution in order to decrease  
the total number of robocalls4  4  #g4  
,regulations relating to caller         
identification information              
authentication standards  7a7 ,in       
general ,not later than #a year after   
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,commission shall prescribe         
regulations in ,,wc ,docket ,no4 #ag-ig4

  7b7 ,requirements for caller          
identification information              
authentication technology  7#a7 ,in     
general ,the regulations required by    
subsection 7a7 shall require providers  
of voice service to implement1 by a date
 specified by the ,commission1 caller   
identification information              
authentication technology that has the  
ability to--  7,a7 verify that any      
caller identification information       
transmitted in connection with a call   
7including a call originating outside   
the ,united ,states if the recipient is 
within the ,united ,states7 is--  7i7   
accurate2 or  7ii7 exempted under the   
regulations promulgated under paragraph 
7#c7 of section #bbg7;e7 of the         
,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg      
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77 from the prohibition
 under paragraph 7#a7 of such section2  
and  7,b7 prevent a subscriber from     
receiving a call unless-- 7i7 any caller
 identification information transmitted 
in connection with such call is verified

 as described in subparagraph 7,a72 or  
7ii7 no caller identification           
information is transmitted in connection
 with such call1 whether because a      
person has blocked the capability of a  
caller identification service to        
transmit such information in accordance 
with paragraph 7#b7 of section #bbg7;e7 
of the ,communications ,act of #aicd    
7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77 or otherwise4  
7#b7 ,unblocking requests ,such         
regulations shall require a provider of 
voice service to-- 7,a7 accept a request
 from a subscriber of such service1 a   
calling party1 or another provider of   
voice service for the caller            
identification information              
authentication technology required under
 paragraph 7#a7 to allow the completion 
of a call in connection with which      
caller identification information is    
transmitted but not verified as         
described in subparagraph 7,a7 of such  
paragraph2 and  7,b7 if such request    
meets criteria prescribed by the        

,commission in such regulations1 grant  
such request4  7#c7 ,no additional cost 
to subscribers ,such regulations shall  
prohibit providers of voice service from
 making any additional charge to        
subscribers for the caller              
identification information              
authentication technology required under
 paragraph 7#a74  7c7 ,definitions ,in  
this section3 7#a7 ,caller              
identification information ,the term    
caller identification information has   
the meaning given such term in section  
#bbg7;e77#h7 of the ,communications ,act
 of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77#h774 
7#b7 ,caller identification service ,the
 term caller identification service has 
the meaning given such term in section  
#bbg7;e77#h7 of the ,communications ,act
 of #aicd 7#dg ,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77#h774 
7#c7 ,commission ,the term ,commission  
means the ,federal ,communications      
,commission4  7#d7 ,voice service ,the  
term voice service has the meaning given
 such term in section #bbg7;e77#h7 of   

the ,communications ,act of #aicd 7#dg  
,u4,s4,c4 #bbg7;e77#h774 ,this paragraph
 shall apply before the effective date  
of the amendment made to such section by
 subparagraph 7,c7 of section           
#ejc7;a77#b7 of division ,p of the      
,consolidated ,appropriations ,act1     
#bjah 7,public ,law #aae-ada7 as if such
 amendment was already in effect4