[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7299 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7299

 To prohibit the use of telephone calls or text messages for unfair or 
    deceptive acts or practices relating to COVID-19, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 22, 2020

 Ms. Sherrill (for herself, Mr. King of New York, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. 
  Stefanik, Mr. Gottheimer, Ms. Blunt Rochester, and Mr. Sean Patrick 
Maloney of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
                to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To prohibit the use of telephone calls or text messages for unfair or 
    deceptive acts or practices relating to COVID-19, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``COVID-19 Stop Calling Americans 
Maliciously Act'' or the ``COVID-19 SCAM Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF TELEPHONE CALLS OR TEXT MESSAGES FOR 
              UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRACTICES RELATING TO COVID-
              19.

    (a) In General.--It shall be unlawful for any person to make or 
place a telephone call or send a text message to offer a good or 
service or make a solicitation if during such call or text message the 
person conveys materially misleading or inaccurate information relating 
to COVID-19 as part of such offer or solicitation.
    (b) Enforcement by Federal Trade Commission.--
            (1) In general.--A violation of subsection (a) shall be 
        treated as a violation of a regulation under section 
        18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 
        57a(a)(1)(B)) regarding unfair or deceptive acts or practices.
            (2) Powers of commission.--The Commission shall enforce 
        subsection (a) in the same manner, by the same means, and with 
        the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all 
        applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission 
        Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a 
        part of this Act. Any person who violates such subsection shall 
        be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and 
        immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act.
    (c) Text Message Defined.--The term ``text message'' has the 
meaning given the term in section 227(e)(8)(C) of the Communications 
Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 227(e)(8)(C)).
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