STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER ROBERT M. McDOWELL Re: In the Matter of Implementation of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 Establishment of a Public Safety Answering Point Do-Not-Call Registry, CG Docket No. 12-129 We can all agree that autodialed calls and robocalls are annoying. But, when they flood phone lines used for emergency calls, they are no longer just annoying – they can become life- threatening. Congress recognized this problem when it directed the Commission to create a Do- Not-Call registry for public safety answering points (PSAPs), the collection centers for emergency calls, and I am pleased that we are faithfully implementing this legislation. Today we establish that new registry for PSAPs to list their emergency numbers and shield them from autodialing and robocalls. Many aspects of this new registry will follow similar procedures already established for the current National Do-Not-Call registry. This time-tested structure will likely make implementation easier for both the public safety community as well as the operators of the automatic dialing equipment. We also adopt strict enforcement rules, which should serve as an effective deterrent. I thank the leaders of both the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee and, in particular, Congressman Shimkus, Congresswoman Eshoo and Senators Klobuchar and Burr, for their leadership on 911 issues and in crafting the underlying emergency registry legislation. I also thank the Chairman, his staff, and the Consumer Bureau staff for their careful attention to this report and order. Today’s actions will make the jobs of America’s first responders a little bit easier and will hopefully and literally save lives.