WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and former chairman of the Communications, Technology and the Internet Subcommittee, released the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced approval of a do-not-call rule designed to prevent autodialers from calling phone numbers used by public safety answering points. Rep. Markey is the House author of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which established the National Do-Not-Call Registry.

“As House author of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, I am pleased that the FCC has taken action to prevent telemarketers from bombarding public safety call centers with autodialed calls. Our first responders should be responding to emergencies, not telemarketers.  The Commission has followed the directive of Congress and put in place appropriate penalties for violations, and I commend the Commissioners for their attention to this matter.”

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