Bill Would Add Political Robo-Calls to Do Not Call Registry

A North Carolina Republican introduced — for the fifth time — legislation to include political robo-calls on the National Do Not Call Registry.

“Every campaign season, like clockwork, families are bombarded by an endless stream of political robo-calls,” Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) said. “There is little voters can do to stop the annoyance, which all too often comes right in the middle of family dinners and bedtimes. The Robo COP Act will solve this problem for the American people by allowing them to opt out of these calls by signing up for the federal government’s ‘Do Not Call’ list.”

“Robo COP” stands for Robo Calls Off Phones. The bill would direct the Federal Trade Commission to revise its regulations regarding the National Do Not Call registry to prohibit prerecorded campaign messages from being sent to telephone numbers registered on the list to block unsolicited sales calls.

“Though citizens are able to stop receiving telemarketing calls, politicians made sure to exempt political robo-calls from the power of the ‘Do Not Call’ registry,” Foxx said. “Removing their exemption through the Robo COP Act is a matter of fairness that will help bring some peace and quiet to North Carolina homes throughout campaign season.”

It would apply to political calls where no live person is available to speak with the person picking up the phone.

Foxx stresses she does not use robo-calling. Her co-sponsors last Congress were Dem Reps. Barney Frank (Mass.) and Steve Cohen (Tenn.) and GOP Reps. Elton Gallegly (Calif.) and C.W. Bill Young (Fla.).