Media Contact: Mike Snyder, (202) 418-0997 michael.snyder@fcc.gov For Immediate Release FCC REVIEWS ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF CONSUMER AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, ENFORCEMENT, AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND HOMELAND SECURITY BUREAUS -- WASHINGTON, January 13, 2021—The Federal Communications Commission today heard reports from leaders of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Enforcement Bureau, and Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau on their exceptional work over the last four years. FCC Chairman Ajit Pai dedicated the entirety of the final meeting of his chairmanship to thanking Commission staff for their work and joining his colleagues in hearing presentations from Bureau, Office, and Task Force leaders. Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau “CGB is dedicated to engaging, educating, and protecting America’s consumers, striving daily to ensure that reliable telecommunications are accessible to all. I am honored to serve alongside the dedicated and hard-working staff of CGB. And I am grateful for the leadership and support Chairman Pai has provided to enable our achievements over the last four years.” – Patrick Webre, Chief, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau CGB has been aggressively fighting the scourge of illegal and unwanted robocalls, leading multiple Commission actions on call blocking and placing limits on calls from government contractors and on non-telemarketing calls to homes. CGB has also led actions to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of telecommunications relay services—which ensure access to telephone communication for people with hearing or speech disabilities—while saving the relay services fund approximately $1.5 billion over four years. CGB plays an active role in bringing advanced communications services to Tribal communities and oversees the important work of advisory committees like the Hospital Robocall Protection Group, which recently issued best practices to prevent robocalls to hospitals. To better educate consumers on important telecommunications issues, the Bureau has conducted multiple in-person and online events and developed a catalog of web content that averages over 3.5 million page-views per year. CGB also processes over 317,000 consumer complaints and handles 120,000 calls annually. In response to COVID-19, CGB clarified rules to allow critical calls about topics such as testing availability and quarantines, and ensured the continued availability of relay services.. The Bureau also created a consumer resources webpage and highlighted company efforts above and beyond Chairman Pai’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge. Enforcement Bureau "Under Chairman Pai's leadership, the Enforcement Bureau has focused its efforts on combating robocalls, protecting public safety. and preserving the integrity of programs designed to provide consumers universal access to communications services. Robust enforcement is critical to give force to the Commission’s rules." - Rosemary Harold, Chief, Enforcement Bureau The Bureau's presentation to the Commissioners highlighted the Enforcement Bureau’s continued focus on strong enforcement of the law and the FCC’s regulations. In the last four years, the Commission issued hundreds of millions of dollars in fines against unlawful spoofed robocall operations. The Bureau brought almost 1,300 enforcement actions, including historic penalties against pirate radio operators. And the Bureau took steps to increase the Bureau’s efficiency and transparency, most notably creating a new Fraud Division as part of its ongoing mission to get rid of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Universal Service Fund. Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau “The Bureau’s work has made the country safer by improving 911 systems, enhancing emergency alerts, and promoting the reliability and security of America’s communications networks—all while we responded to a slew of natural disasters, supported public safety licensing needs, and continued to build our own capabilities. I am thankful to our dedicated team, who exemplify our Bureau motto: The public’s safety is job number one!” - Lisa M. Fowlkes, Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Over the past four years, the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau took a series of significant actions to strengthen 911 systems, which will help first responders locate emergency callers more quickly. The Bureau also improved the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts, making them even more powerful tools for public safety officials to keep their communities safe. The Bureau worked tirelessly to prepare for and respond to numerous hurricanes and other natural disasters, including tracking network outages, issuing public reports, and supporting service restoration. In addition, the Bureau worked on many fronts to promote the reliability and security of America’s communications networks, including designating Huawei and ZTE as national security threats and thus prohibiting the use of money from the Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment or services from these companies. The presentations, video of this meeting, and Chairman and Commissioner statements will be available and archived at: https://www.fcc.gov/news-events/events/2021/01/january-2021-open-commission-meeting. ### Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov 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).