I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3264 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to initiate a proceeding 

to protect called parties from one-ring scams, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 13, 2019 

Ms. CLARKE of New York (for herself, Mr. VAN DREW, Mr. ROUDA, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Ms. FOXX of North Carolina, and Mr. WALBERG) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

A BILL 

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to initiate a proceeding to protect called parties from onering scams, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ending One-Ring 

5 Scams Act of 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. PROTECTION FROM ONE-RING SCAMS. 

7 (a) INITIATION OF PROCEEDING.—Not later than 

8 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 


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1 Commission shall initiate a proceeding to protect called 

2 parties from one-ring scams. 

3 (b) MATTERS TO BE CONSIDERED.—As part of the 

4 proceeding required by subsection (a), the Commission 

5 shall consider how the Commission can— 

6 (1) work with Federal and State law enforce7 ment agencies to address one-ring scams; 

8 (2) work with the governments of foreign coun9 tries to address one-ring scams; 

10 (3) in consultation with the Federal Trade 

11 Commission, better educate consumers about how to 

12 avoid one-ring scams; 

13 (4) incentivize voice service providers to stop 

14 calls made to perpetrate one-ring scams from being 

15 received by called parties, including consideration of 

16 adding identified one-ring scam type numbers to the 

17 Commission’s existing list of permissible categories 

18 for carrier-initiated blocking; 

19 (5) work with entities that provide call-blocking 

20 services to address one-ring scams; and 

21 (6) establish obligations on international gate22 way providers that are the first point of entry for 

23 these calls into the United States, including poten24 tial requirements that such providers verify with the 


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1 foreign originator the nature or purpose of calls be2 fore initiating service. 

3 (c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 

4 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commis5 sion shall publish on its website and submit to the Com6 mittee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Rep7 resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 

8 and Transportation of the Senate a report on the status 

9 of the proceeding required by subsection (a). 

10 (d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

11 (1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

12 means the Federal Communications Commission. 

13 (2) ONE-RING SCAM.—The term ‘‘one-ring 

14 scam’’ means a scam in which a caller makes a call 

15 and allows the call to ring the called party for a 

16 short duration, in order to prompt the called party 

17 to return the call, thereby subjecting the called party 

18 to charges. 

19 (3) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean20 ing given such term in section 3 of the Communica21 tions Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153). 

22 (4) VOICE SERVICE.—The term ‘‘voice service’’ 

23 has the meaning given such term in section 

24 227(e)(8) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 

25 U.S.C. 227(e)(8)). This paragraph shall apply before 


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1 the effective date of the amendment made to such 

2 section by subparagraph (C) of section 503(a)(2) of 

3 division P of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

4 2018 (Public Law 115–141) as if such amendment 

5 was already in effect. 

Æ 


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