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| For Immediate Release February 28, 2007 |
Contact: Jodi Seth 202-225-5735 |
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet Completes Markup of H.R. 251,
The Truth in Caller ID Act
Washington, D.C. – Today the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet completed its markup of H.R. 251, The Truth in Caller ID Act. The bill passed by voice vote.
“Unfortunately, caller ID spoofing has become a popular tool for rascals to steal and manipulate consumer information, and the Internet and other technologies have made the practice even easier,” said Rep. John D. Dingell, Chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. “This legislation will offer sound protection to help prevent caller ID manipulation. I commend the subcommittee for this markup, and I look forward to reporting this bill from the full committee.”
“This legislation makes a welcome and overdue change in the law, so that it will be clear that when a caller masks or changes the caller ID information of their call for spoofing, which can lead to fraud, personal ID theft, harassment or otherwise threaten the safety of the call recipient, there will be legal consequences,” said Rep. Ed Markey, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.
The legislation, introduced by committee member Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), with full committee Ranking Member Joe Barton (R-TX) as an original co-sponsor, is aimed at ensuring accuracy in caller identification information. It protects against the growing problem of caller ID “spoofing,” which occurs when a caller masquerades as someone else by falsifying the number that appears on the recipient's caller ID display.
Now passed by the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, the bill will be taken up for consideration by the full Committee on Energy and Commerce as early as March.
In the 109th Congress, the “Truth in Caller ID Act” passed the House under the suspension of the rules on June 6, 2006 and was referred to the Senate. No action was taken in the Senate.
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 Prepared by the Committee on Energy and Commerce |
