Anti-Spoofing Act of 2016

Bill: 114-hr-2669
Sponsor: Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
Introduced: 2015-06-04 in the House
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Consumer affairs
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Fraud offenses and financial crimes
Telephone and wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-04
text: 

Anti-Spoofing Act of 2015
 
 
Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand the prohibition on the provision of inaccurate caller identification information (which makes it unlawful to cause a caller identification service to knowingly transmit misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value) to persons outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States.
 
Revises the definitions of "caller identification information" and "caller identification service" to include text messages sent using a text messaging service.
 
Defines "text message" as real-time or near real-time messages consisting of text, images, sounds, or other information transmitted from or received by a device identified by a telephone number. Excludes from such definition a real-time, two-way voice or video communication.
 
Expands the categories of IP-enabled voice services that are subject to such prohibition to include services with interconnection capability, whether part of a bundle of services or separately, that can originate traffic to the public switched telephone network.

action_date: 2016-11-14
text: 

Anti-Spoofing Act of 2016

 
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Communications Act of 1934 to expand the prohibition against knowingly transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller identification information to apply to: (1) persons outside the United States if the recipient is within the United States, and (2) text messages. 
 
Existing caller identification requirements that apply to calls made using a telecommunications service or IP-enabled voice service are revised to apply to: (1) services interconnected with the public switched telephone network and that furnish voice communications using resources from the North American Numbering Plan; and (2) transmissions from a telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other device to a telephone facsimile machine. 
 
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to regularly update education materials that help consumers identify: (1) scams and fraudulent activity that rely upon misleading or inaccurate caller identification information, and (2) existing technologies that consumers can use to protect against such fraud. 
 
The Government Accountability Office must report on: (1) actions taken, or actions that could be taken, by the FCC or the FTC to combat the fraudulent provision of misleading or inaccurate caller identification information; and (2) any recommendations to combat the fraudulent provision of such information. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-11-15
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: The title of the measure was amended. Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 382 - 5 (Roll no. 576). (text: CR H6129-6130)
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 382 - 5 (Roll no. 576).(text: CR H6129-6130)
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6135-6136)
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2669.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H6129-6132)
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Mr. Burgess moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 630.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 114-806.
action_date: 2016-11-14
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 114-806.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-09-21
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
action_date: 2016-09-20
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
action_date: 2016-09-13
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2016-09-12
text: Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2015-06-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
action_date: 2015-06-04
text: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
action_date: 2015-06-04
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-04
text: Introduced in House