HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

45

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS TO GRANT ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY TO THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION TO STOP UNWANTED AND ILLEGAL ROBOCALLS.

 

 


     WHEREAS, receipt of unwanted telephone calls is among the most frequent complaints received by the Federal Communications Commission from consumers nationwide; and

 

     WHEREAS, unwanted calls include automated telemarketing or solicitation calls that deliver a recorded message, also known as robocalls; and

 

     WHEREAS, recently, robocalls have been combined with a process called "spoofing", by which robocalls appear to originate from local, often legitimate, numbers to trick consumers into answering the robocalls; and

 

     WHEREAS, as technology continues to evolve, the number of robocalls and spoofing continues to grow; and

 

     WHEREAS, under the Federal Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009, individuals are prohibited from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongly obtain anything of value; and

 

     WHEREAS, despite the fact that the Federal Communications Commission has initiated new policy initiatives to combat robocalls and spoofing, additional measures need to be implemented to combat this growing problem; and

 

     WHEREAS, the United States Congress should pass legislation that provides the Federal Communications Commission with the tools and resources it needs to combat robocalls and spoofing; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission encourages consumers to file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission when a robocall is received; and

 

     WHEREAS, although the Federal Communications Commission uses social media and the Internet to reach consumers, the Federal Communications Commission should use all means available to provide consumers with the information necessary to file a complaint; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Thirty-first Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2021, the Senate concurring, that the United States Congress is urged to grant additional authority to the Federal Communications Commission to stop unwanted and illegal robocalls; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, members of the Hawaii congressional delegation, and Chair of the Federal Communications Commission.

Report Title: 

Congress; Robocalls; Federal Communications Commission