I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1304 
To require the Federal Trade Commission, in consultation with the Federal 
Communications Commission, to establish a robocaller bounty pilot pro-
gram, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 15, 2019 
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. CRIST) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To require the Federal Trade Commission, in consultation 
with the Federal Communications Commission, to estab-
lish a robocaller bounty pilot program, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. ROBOCALLER BOUNTY PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade 
Commission, in consultation with the Federal Communica-
tions Commission, shall— 
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(1) establish a robocaller bounty pilot program 
to reduce covered calls by egregious violators; and 
(2) issue guidance about what constitutes an 
egregious violation under paragraph (1). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—In establishing the pilot pro-
gram under subsection (a), the Federal Trade Commis-
sion, in consultation with the Federal Communications 
Commission, shall— 
(1) provide monetary compensation for the 
identification and prevention of covered calls; 
(2) develop an expeditious process for partici-
pants in the pilot program to submit an expedited 
background check, as determined by the Federal 
Trade Commission, in consultation with the Federal 
Communications Commission, and approval for par-
ticipation into the program; 
(3) develop a fee sharing structure for partici-
pants to share in funds recovered from violations re-
lated to a covered call in addition to payment for 
participation in program; 
(4) award competitive contracts as necessary to 
manage the pilot program and for addressing the 
vulnerabilities identified as a consequence of the 
pilot program; and 
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(5) solicit interested persons, including the pri-
vate sector, about the structure of the pilot program 
and constructive feedback. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
on which the pilot program is complete, the Federal Trade 
Commission, in consultation with the Federal Communica-
tions Commission, shall submit to the Committees on En-
ergy and Commerce and the Judiciary of the House of 
Representatives and the Committees on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and the Judiciary of the Sen-
ate a report that includes the following: 
(1) The number of individuals and companies 
that were approved to participate in the pilot pro-
gram and received compensation. 
(2) The number of covered calls identified, 
prosecuted, prevented, and intercepted. 
(3) Changes needed in the law to address the 
enforcement and apprehension related to covered 
calls. 
(4) The number of prosecutions that resulted 
because of the program. 
(5) Recommendations for overseas identification 
and apprehension of individuals making covered 
calls. 
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(6) The obstacles encountered with appre-
hending individuals making covered calls and any 
other lessons learned from the pilot program. 
(7) The payout per participant under the pro-
gram. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) COVERED CALL.—The term ‘‘covered call’’ 
means a call that is in violation of section 227 of the 
Communications Act of 1947 (47 U.S.C. 227) or the 
do-not-call 
registry 
established 
under 
section 
3(a)(3)(A) of the Telemarketing and Consumer 
Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act (15 U.S.C. 
6102(a)(3)(A)). 
(2) EGREGIOUS
VIOLATOR.—The term ‘‘egre-
gious violator’’— 
(A) means a person that makes (or causes 
to be made) covered calls; and 
(B) does not include a person that has reg-
istered with the Federal Trade Commission and 
demonstrated to the Federal Trade Commission 
that adequate procedures are in place to pre-
vent making covered calls. 
(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion may be construed as conveying to any participant in 
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the pilot program any new right to seek discovery or issue 
subpoenas to communications service providers. 
Æ 
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