There are many types of harm that go beyond simply financial ones.

But as we established, much of the customer information currently required to be secured under the Communications Act does not have to be secured under this bill.

So I wondered, Ms. Rich, if you wanted to comment on that. This is a concern that I have for consumers, that I think if we allowed the FCC to continue in its regulations, that we could then make sure we cover everything.

Well, let me ask you this, then, because I think it would be--help to outline for us.

That being said, this bill needs significant amendment to achieve the goal of both simplifying compliance for businesses and enhancing protections for consumers.

I appreciate my colleagues' effort on this legislation, and I believe it has some positive elements--FTC penalty authority and a data security provision among them.

This proposal also weakens existing consumer protections under the Communications Act for customers of telecommunications, satellite, and cable companies.

Once again, the Republicans have brought us to the brink of a government shutdown, this time, the Department of Homeland Security. For weeks, the Department specifically designed to keep America and Americans safe has been forced to spend…

So States have, up until now, been leaders in the effort to combat abusive patent trolls.

This is fundamentally a fairness issue.

I see the rise of these entities as a serious threat to consumers and businesses all across the country.

At best, patent trolls are misleading, and at worst, they are extortionists.