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What They Are Saying: Latta Works to Combat Robocall Nuisance

National and local media discussed Congressman Bob Latta’s introduction of the Support Tools to Obliterate Pesky (STOP) Robocalls Act and the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology hearing where it, along with other legislation to combat robocalls, were considered. Here is what they are saying:

 

Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Republicans and Democrats Agree on This: Robocalls are Annoying

Mr. Latta, the subcommittee’s ranking Republican, is sponsoring the Support Tools to Obliterate Pesky Calls Act, or the STOP Robocalls Act, which would make it easier for people to share information about fraudulent calls they receive so that the government can more quickly trace their origins and respond.

Lawmakers agreed that as they craft new laws to address robocalling they must keep in mind that some automated calls are legitimate and important. For example, robocalls are used to send severe-weather alerts, notifications about changes to school schedules, reminders about prescriptions, and alerts about potential unauthorized use of credit cards.

“We want to make sure that we’re preserving consumers’ access to desirable and, at times, lifesaving calls and text messages while also protecting them from bad actors,” Mr. Latta said. The problem, he said, is that “bad actors have figured out how to take advantage of the phone system and technology that legitimate entities use to share important messages and instead manipulate the technology to trick and deceive consumers.”

 

Broadcasting & Cable: Congress is Looking to Arm ‘Robo’ Cops

Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio), author of one of the bills, talked up the Republican take on robocalls, which is to empower more info sharing between companies and the FCC, provide access to blocking technology, and to distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate robocalls. The legitimate uses, he said, include many valuable, pro-consumer applications including severe weather alerts, school closings, health reminders about prescription refills or doctors appointments, or alerts about suspicious bank activity.

 

Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune: Latta authors bipartisan bill to combat illegal robocall nuisance

Congressman Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green, has authored legislation, the Support Tools to Obliterate Pesky Robocalls Act, to take action to combat the nuisance that Americans are facing from illegal robocalls.

 

WEWS (Cleveland): Cutting the Calls

“An Ohio Congressman is introducing legislation to fight back against robocalls – they’re a headache. The bill is called the Support Tools to Obliterate Pesky Robocalls Act, or STOP Robocalls for short…Congressman Bob Latta is behind the bill, and he says a news study found that Americans were targeted with 26 billion robocalls just last year.”

 

WITF (Pittsburgh): Lawmakers United Against Common Enemy: Annoying Robocalls

Nothing unites two opposing sides more than mutual hatred. In a House subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, that unifying enemy was robocalls.

"At best, Americans find these robocalls pesky," said U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), ranking member of the subcommittee. "At worst, these illegal calls scam hardworking Americans out of their life savings."

 

ABC6 (Columbus): Ohio Congressman Introduces Bill to Fight Back Against Robocalls

An Ohio congressman is introducing legislation to fight back against robocalls. Congressman Bob Latta, R-Ohio, cited a study that found Americans are targeted with 26 billion robocalls in 2018.

Latta, who represents Ohio's 5th District, was the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection Subcommittee during the last Congress. During that time he said he conducted hearings on illegal robocalls, focusing on how it is hard to hold those making the calls accountable.

 

WDTN (Dayton): STOP Robocalls Act Introduced

“And, we’re following new information as an Ohio Congressman introduces new legislation to fight robocalls.”

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