Lawmaker is the co-author of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, law which protects consumers from harassing robocalls

Washington (March 16, 2018) –Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, today called for the restoration of robocall protections under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).  Today, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down portions of a 2015 FCC rulemaking limiting callers’ use of automated dialers, which are technologies that can be used to rapidly call large groups of consumers. While the court ruling did uphold the right of consumers to revoke consent to receive robocalls, the it also vacated protections discouraging callers from making more than one unwanted call to a reassigned number. The 2015 FCC rules helped ensure consumers do not receive calls because the previous phone number holder, not the current holder, provided consent for the calls.

“In an era when the onslaught of unwanted and abusive harassing robocalls is on the rise, I am disappointed that the D.C. Circuit Court invalidated core protections that help give consumers reasonable control over their mobile devices,” said Senator Markey. “It is now the FCC’s obligation to use its existing authority to reestablish robust, enforceable protections to enhance the precious zone of privacy created by the law. Should the FCC fail to address this matter and preserve the intent of the law, I will work with my Congressional colleagues legislatively to restore these commonsense protections.”

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