Walden cheers House OK of bill targeting robocalls

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., on Wednesday applauded House passage of the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act.

Last year alone, 47.8 billion robocalls were placed nationwide. Already this year, there have been 25 billion robocalls – that is 76 per person affected.

The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would require phone carriers to implement call authentication technology so that consumers can trust the calls they receive at no cost of their own. The bill would also provide safeguards that would prevent consumers from having important calls, such as from their doctor, blocked.

“Robocalls are a menace, and today Congress took steps to put an end to these pesky, illegal calls,” Walden said in a news release. “When you receive a call, you should be able to trust that there is a legitimate reason for that call – especially when it is from a familiar area code like 541. The Stopping Bad Robocalls Act would ensure that consumers are no longer pestered by these calls.”

Walden has long been an advocate for stopping illegal robocalls. As Republican Leader of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, he helped usher this legislation through both the committee and now the House. Last Congress, he worked hard to pass the RAY BAUM’s Act, which reauthorized the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the first time in over two decades and provided the FCC with tools to better enable consumers and law enforcement to stay ahead of scammers.

“I have already held 35 town halls this year, and at practically every single town hall someone brought up robocalls and the problems they have caused,” Walden said. ” I am pleased that today Congress listened to the calls from their constituents and acted on behalf of them. I look forward to working with the Senate to ensure that this bill swiftly gets to the president’s desk. ”