H.R. 6152: Foreign Robocall Elimination Act

This bill, known as the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, aims to combat unlawful robocalls that are made into the United States from other countries. It primarily establishes a taskforce focused on addressing and reducing such calls. Below are the key provisions and actions the bill proposes:

Establishment of a Taskforce

The bill mandates the creation of a taskforce by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) within 270 days of the bill becoming law. The taskforce will include:

• Representatives from federal agencies relevant to combating robocalls.
• Seven representatives from private sector entities with expertise in tackling unlawful robocalls.

Defining Unlawful Robocalls

The term "unlawful robocall" refers to telephone calls made in violation of certain regulations established under the Communications Act of 1934. The taskforce will focus specifically on these types of calls that originate from outside the United States.

Taskforce Responsibilities

The taskforce will be responsible for:

• Preparing a comprehensive report on unlawful robocalls, which includes recommendations for federal agencies and Congress on effective methods to combat such calls.
• Studying the volume and impact of unlawful robocalls, identifying countries that are major sources of these calls, and examining financial losses and instances of identity theft linked to these calls.
• Exploring technical enhancements for caller identification authentication, and ways to encourage foreign countries to adopt these technologies.
• Evaluating federal enforcement capabilities concerning unlawful robocalls and identifying resource needs for doing so.

Regulations for Providers

The bill includes provisions that may require telephone service providers to post a bond (up to $100,000) before they can certify information in the Robocall Mitigation Database, ensuring that the database remains reliable and effective. Certain established providers could be exempt from this bond requirement based on their qualifications.

Traceback Efforts

The legislation promotes a private-led effort through a registered consortium to trace back the origins of robocalls. The bill provides immunity to this consortium for sharing and publishing information related to suspected unlawful robocalls.

Publication of Voice Service Providers

The FCC or the consortium will be able to publish a list of voice service providers that do not participate in tracing efforts for illegal calls, or that generate substantial amounts of unlawful robocalls. This aims to hold providers accountable and inform consumers.

Funding and Resources

Federal agencies involved in the taskforce will be allowed to use available funds to coordinate their efforts in combating unlawful robocalls.

Termination of the Taskforce

The taskforce will disband 90 days after submitting its report to Congress.

Relevant Companies

• TMUS: T-Mobile, a major telecommunications provider that may need to comply with additional regulations and processes regarding robocall mitigation.
• T: AT&T, one of the largest telecom companies in the U.S., which will be impacted by any new requirements for robocall mitigation efforts.
• VZ: Verizon, another leading telecom provider likely to adapt its practices to align with the new regulations proposed by the bill.