Telemarketers beware! General population rejoice. In a press release, Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) thanked U. S. Senate colleagues last Tuesday for passing by unanimous consent his legislation, the Do Not Call Extension Act, S. 781, to keep the national Do Not Call Registry free and effective, the Arkansas senator said in a news release. The House had also passed and supported his version of the bill. "Millions of Americans have signed up for the Do Not Call registry and today can enjoy dinner without interruption from telemarketers. My bill keeps the peace for them and ensures the registry remains free and effective for consumers," Pryor said. The registry offers consumers a break from telemarketers, Pryor said in the release. More than 146 million consumers have taken advantage of the Do Not Call Registry, Pryor said.Prior also said in his release that The Federal Trade Commission's authority to fund the program through telemarketer fees expires soon - at the end of the year - and his legislation will reauthorize the FTC's ability to collect fees from telemarketers to cover the operational costs of the program permanently. Now, telemarketers pay $ 62 for each area code, with the first five area codes free and total fees capped at $ 17, 050. They are required to search the registry every month and drop from their call lists the phone numbers of consumers who have registered. Compliance with the registry has been high, but the FTC has brought enforcement action against 52 individuals and 73 corporate defendants, Pryor said in the news release. Violating the Do Not Call Registry subjects telemarketers to civil penalties of up to $ 11, 000 per violation.
Tags: Mark Pryor, telemarketer, US Congress
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