U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly) voted to pass a bill to prevent robocalls from interrupting and scamming consumers, put consumers back in control of their phones, and help restore trust in our phone system. In 2018, Michiganders received an estimated 1.2 billion robocalls and have already received 1.4 billion robocalls this year. Americans lost an estimated $10.5 billion dollars this year due to robocall scams.
The TRACED Act, (Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence), which includes a bill Slotkin co-sponsored to crack down on robocall scams, implements a nationwide caller authentication system so that consumers can again trust that the number they see on their caller ID is indeed the person calling them, allows consumers to block unlawful calls in a consistent and transparent way at no extra charge, and makes sure that law enforcement and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have the tools, information, and incentives to go after robocallers that break the law.
“Michiganders are sick and tired of getting robocalls, and they’re even more fed up with being scammed by these companies,” Slotkin said. “I’m thrilled that the House has passed a bipartisan, bicameral bill to directly respond to this daily, frustrating, and indeed serious problem our constituents are facing. This bill not only helps prevent folks from receiving irritating robocalls, but cracks down on companies who have preyed on and taken billions of dollars from consumers.”
Slotkin has heard directly from 8th District residents and community leaders from across the political spectrum who reiterate that taking action to stop robocalls will not only put an end to a common nuisance, but will make a marked difference in residents’ daily lives.
Consumer groups and industry widely support the legislation, including Consumer Reports, AARP, the National Consumer Law Center, US Telecom, and more.
