Media Contact: Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509 will.wiquist@fcc.gov For Immediate Release CHAIRMAN PAI WELCOMES SUPREME COURT RULING FINDING CARVE-OUT FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEBT COLLECTION ROBOCALLS UNCONSTITUTIONAL -- WASHINGTON, July 6, 2020—Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai issued the following statement today on the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants: “The Telephone Consumer Protection Act has long shielded Americans from unwanted robocalls, but the Obama Administration in 2015 snuck in a carve-out for federal debt collectors. I opposed that decision because, as I said at the time, the federal government should not bestow ‘regulatory largesse upon favored industries such as federal debt collectors,’ and I called on Congress to reverse course. “Thanks to the Supreme Court, that carve-out is no more. Today, the Court found that the last Administration’s attempt to create a special exemption for favored debt collectors was not only bad policy but unconstitutional. I am glad to hear that Americans, who are sick and tired of unwanted robocalls, will now get the relief from federal-debt-collector robocalls they have long deserved.” In recent years, the FCC has taken strong measures to combat illegal robocalls and malicious caller ID spoofing, implementing numerous important policy initiatives, strong enforcement actions, impactful public and private partnerships, and vital consumer education. These efforts are outlined at: https://www.fcc.gov/spoofed-robocalls. ### Office of Chairman Pai: (202) 418-1000 / Twitter: @AjitPaiFCC / www.fcc.gov/leadership/ajit-pai This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).