Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Charlie Crist (D-St. Petersburg) released the following statement on passage of his Spam Calls Task Force Act (H.R. 721) which was included in Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone’s (D-NJ) Stopping Bad Robocalls (H.R. 3375). The bipartisan legislation, which passed the House by a vote of 429-3, tackles the onslaught of spam calls Americans receive on a daily basis – over 26 billion in 2018.

“Floridians are being inundated with spam calls,” said Crist. “And I feel their pain, literally, these calls are non-stop! Spam calls are not just an annoyance, they represent a threat to privacy, security and peace of mind. I thank Chairman Pallone for including my Spam Calls Task Force legislation in the larger Stopping Bad Robocalls bill, and for his leadership on this issue. The People’s House is taking action to end the scourge of spam calls once and for all!”

Background on the Spam Calls Task Force Act:
The legislation directs the Attorney General to work with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to convene an interagency working group with other federal and state agencies to address the following issues relating to spam calls:

• Determine if any Federal laws, regulations, or policies inhibit the enforcement of section of the Telephone Consumer Protections Act that prohibits spam/scam calls;
• Identify existing and potential policies and programs that encourage and improve coordination among departments, agencies, and states;
• Identify existing and potential international policies and programs;
• Consider if additional resources would be helpful;
• Consider if formal agreements between states and the federal government and/or foreign governments would be helpful; and
• Consider if increased criminal penalties or fines would serve as an increased deterrent.