On the recordDecember 4, 2019
I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, as a cosponsor of this legislation, I rise in strong support and encourage its swift passage. By some estimates, nearly 48 billion robocalls were made in the U.S. in 2018, which is a 57 percent increase over 2017. This antirobocall bill provides the FCC new authorities to impose substantial fines on violators--up to $20,000 per violation, and possibly higher in some cases. It requires phone companies to verify callers and help block robocalls at no extra charge. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake: This legislation is a big step forward. But given the rapidly changing technology, combined with the fact that many of these calls come from overseas, we can't let up, and more will need to be done. Thankfully, this bill requires a number of reports to Congress over the coming months that will allow us to start to crack down on these perpetrators even harder. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the work we have done, bicameral and bipartisan. I thank those involved.
