Richard Blumenthal

I hope that you will review it carefully and support it.

Just an observation. Mr. Rupy, I appreciate your citing a holistic approach and the services that are now available.

The effect of these calls was pernicious and intrusive.

Would you all agree that consumers need and deserve more effective means to block robocalls, better tools?

The FCC has also alleged that these calls were harmful to carriers.

I hope that you will help us, in fact, shed some light on this problem and that you will explain any inability to answer our questions.

The simple fact is that the Do Not Call list is totally ineffectual against them.

Doesn't that mislead the recipient of the call as to location?

I hope that today's hearing will also result in more vigorous enforcement of existing laws along with support for new laws that will enable tougher penalties, stronger deterrents, and better consumer protection.

They're not moving fast enough.

I have heard from many of my constituents, like many members of this panel, about the intrusive and invasive effect of these calls.

You cannot selectively invoke a Fifth Amendment privilege. You can't decide to answer some questions and then decide you don't want to answer other questions about the same activities involving the same legal culpability.

No one is immune from robocalls. Whether you own a cell phone or a landline, there is no escaping them.

I am introducing the ROBOCOP bill, Repeated Objectionable Bothering of Consumers on Phones Act.

There is bipartisan loathing for robocalls, and today we will hear from some of the government officials who have responsibility for stopping them.

Isn't it a fact they caused harm to consumers?

I again would like to thank both Chairman Moran and Ranking Member Blumenthal for their continued work on this issue and for holding this hearing.

I support this Committee's efforts to investigate what exactly happened at U.S.A. Gymnastics and within the U.S. Olympic Committee.

As lawmakers, we must make sure that these institutions are accountable, and that they vigorously and swiftly implement the legislation that Congress has enacted.

And I just want to thank all of you for being here today and we look forward to continuing this conversation.

Fortunately, the survivors of abuse across Olympic sports deserve our thanks and if I have one message for the folks who are testifying today, it is the gratitude of our nation, our Senate, our committee, for coming forward and continuing…

The faces and voices that we're going to see and hear today give new meaning to the word 'courage' and 'sacrifice.'

In January, Senator Blumenthal and I launched a bipartisan subcommittee investigation to examine cultural and systemic problems regarding abuse.

We can't eradicate all the evils in the world and a lot of people come to us and say, well, we made a mistake, we need to do better, but there are clearly systematic failings here in the United States Olympic Committee that need to be…

Especially if they're offering favors or food or visits to their rooms.