FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN August 7, 2018 The Honorable Deb Fischer United States Senate 454 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Fischer: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC's recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act-leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized carriers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCP A. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia inACA International v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency's 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order-it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent, the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegal robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, v. Ajit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN August 7, 2018 The Honorable James M. Inhofe United States Senate 205 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Inhofe: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC's recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act-leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized carriers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCPA. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia inACA International v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency's 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order-it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent, the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegal robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, v. Ajit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN August 7, 2018 The Honorable Jerry Moran United States Senate 521 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Moran: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC's recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act-leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized carriers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCPA. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in ACA International v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency's 2015 TCPA Declarat01y Ruling and Order- it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegal robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, - v. Ajit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN August 7, 2018 The Honorable John Thune Chairman Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate 512 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Chairman Thune: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC' s recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act-leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized carriers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCP A. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in ACA International v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency's 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order-it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent, the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegal robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, v. Ajit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF T HE CHAIRMAN August 7, 2018 The Honorable Roger Wicker United States Senate 555 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Wicker: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC's recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act--leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized carriers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCPA. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in A CA International v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency's 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order-it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent, the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegal robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, Ajit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRMAN August 7. 2018 The Honorable Roy Blunt United States Senate 260 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Blunt: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC' s recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act--leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized can-iers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCP A. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in ACA international v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency' s 2015 TCPA Declaratory Ruling and Order-it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent, the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegai robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any farther assistance. Sincerely, v. i\jit V. Pai FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF T HE CHAIRMAN August 7, 2018 The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito United States Senate 172 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Dear Senator Capito: Thank you for your letter in support of the FCC's recent efforts to crack down on abusive and illegal robocalls. Unwanted robocalls are consumers' top complaint to the FCC, and we have accordingly made combating illegal robocalls our top consumer protection priority. We have aggressively enforced the Telephone Consumer Protection Act as well as the Truth in Caller ID Act-leveling over $200 million in proposed fines against illegal robocallers. We have authorized carriers to stop certain robocalls at the source while we pursue creation of a reassigned numbers database and a robust call-authentication framework. And we have been working with our colleagues at the Federal Trade Commission as well, hosting a policy forum in March and a tech expo in April. In your letter, you urge the Commission to take quick action to clarify important issues under the TCPA. I agree that, in light of the decision of the U.S. Comi of Appeals for the District of Columbia in A CA International v. FCC-which struck down much of the agency's 2015 TCP A Declaratory Ruling and Order-it is time for the Commission to establish robust consumer protections in line with federal law. As I predicted in my dissent, the last Administration's order has left both the American customer and American enterprise worse off. This cannot possibly be what Congress intended. The Commission is now poised to examine and reconsider these issues. On May 14, 2018, the Commission sought comment on the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system," the treatment of calls to reassigned wireless numbers, and the scope of a consumer's right to revoke prior express consent to receive robocalls. We also sought renewed comment on reconsidering the Broadnet decision and the 2016 Federal Debt Collection Rules, as well as the interplay between the Broadnet decision and the Budget Act amendments. The comment and reply period closed on June 28, 2018, and Commission staff is now reviewing the record. We will be sure to include your comments in the record of the proceeding and take them into account as we move forward. I look forward to working with my colleagues on addressing these issues while continuing our many other efforts to combat illegal robocalls. Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. Sincerely, Ajit V. Pai