U.S. Senators Ted Budd (R-N.C.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) have introduced the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at reducing illegal robocalls originating from outside the United States. The legislation seeks to increase collaboration between federal agencies and private sector experts to find new ways to stop these scams.
“Robocalls from scammers aren’t just annoying, they victimize tens of millions of Americans, stealing billions of dollars from unsuspecting individuals,” said Senator Budd.“With many robocalls originating overseas, combining the efforts of government agencies in charge of protecting Americans from scams with private sector expertise will help us stay ahead of cutting-edge technologies used by foreign criminal enterprises. I am proud to join Sen. Welch to build on the important steps Congress has taken to curb these harmful robocalls, and better protect Americans from being preyed on by criminal enterprisesacross the globe.”
Senator Welch noted that his home state receives a high volume of such calls each month. “Vermonters receive nearly 3.5 million robocalls every month. And it’s not only our state—folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re talking to a friend or being scammed. To make matters worse, foreign robocallers are stepping up their efforts to exploit and prey on vulnerable people,” said Senator Welch. “Our bipartisan bill will help combat unlawful foreign robocalls and protect Americans from scams.”
The proposed legislation has received endorsements from organizations including AARP and USTelecom.
Bill Sweeney, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs at AARP, stated: “AARP, which advocates on behalf of more than 100 million Americans age 50 and older, is pleased to endorse the Foreign Robocall Elimination Act. This legislation represents a critical next step in protecting Americans from fraudulent and abusive robocalls originating from outside the United States. Older Americans are disproportionately targeted by robocall scams, which often lead to financial loss, identity theft, and emotional distress. These calls not only exploit individuals but also erode trust in telecommunications systems and public institutions. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act builds upon the TRACED Act and addresses this growing threat by convening a task force of government and private sector experts to develop actionable strategies for eliminating harmful foreign robocalls.”
Josh Bercu, Senior Vice President for Policy at USTelecom – The Broadband Association and Executive Director of The Industry Traceback Group added: “Illegal robocalls are not just a nuisance—they’re a threat to vulnerable Americans and a tool for scammers around the world. Thanks to strong partnerships between the Industry Traceback Group and federal, state, and local law enforcement, we’ve made measurable progress in stopping these bad actors. The Foreign Robocall Elimination Act builds on this success to empower industry and law enforcement to use what works to crack down on the bad actors overseas preying on Americans. Big thanks to Senators Budd and Welch for their leadership and commitment to consumer protection.”
The act would create an interagency task force that includes representatives from several federal agencies such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Department of Justice (DOJ), along with experts in telecommunications technology, marketing organizations, voice service analytics specialists, as well as consumer advocates.
This group would assess methods used by foreign-based callers who target U.S residents with illegal calls while working toward improved international cooperation against these activities.
Additionally, under this bill’s provisions—the FCC’s renewal period for certifying groups like the Industry Traceback Group would be extended from one year up to three years; this extension aims at ensuring continuity in efforts that trace sources behind unlawful calls—a process first established under previous congressional action known as the TRACED Act.
