Federal Communications Commission	"FCC  XX-XXX"


STATEMENT OF 
COMMISSIONER GEOFFREY STARKS
Re:	Targeting and Eliminating Unlawful Text Messages, CG Docket No. 21-402; Rules and Regulations Implementing the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991, CG Docket No. 02-278; Advanced Methods to Target and Eliminate Unlawful Robocalls, CG Docket No. 17-59, Second Report and Order, Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and Waiver Order (December 13, 2023)
	Combatting robocalls and robotexts is like whack-a-mole.  We shut down one scam, another arises.  We close one pathway for illegal and unwanted calls, fraudsters create another.  But this is no game, and the FCC has not backed down.      
	We are also adapting our tactics and adopting new ones.  That’s what today’s order does.  First, we impose additional text blocking requirements on providers, building on those we adopted in March of this year.  Second, we target the “lead generator loophole.”  Consumers have a right to control who contacts them.  And just because you want to comparison shop doesn’t mean you agree to provide a blanket consent to be robocalled and robotexted by strange, unrelated parties looking to prey.  And finally, we ask questions about what other steps we can take to stay ahead of scammers, including whether and how to impose certain parts of our robocall playbook – including traceback and authentication – onto our robotext efforts.  Here, as always, we will benefit from the knowledge and input of our industry and public interest partners.  
Thank you to the FCC staff who worked on this item.  It has my support.

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