[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 144 (Wednesday, September 26, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S12145]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DORGAN (for himself, Mr. Stevens, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Ensign, 
        Mr. Kerry, Mr. Kohl, Mr. Feingold, Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. 
        Feinstein, and Mr. Nelson of Florida):
  S. 2096. A bill to amend the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act to 
eliminate the automatic removal of telephone numbers registered on the 
Federal ``do-not-call'' registry; to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, today I am introducing, along with 
Senators Stevens, Schumer, Ensign, Kerry, Kohl, Feingold, Clinton, 
Feinstein, and Nelson of Florida, the Do-Not-Call Improvement Act of 
2007. We seek with this bill to ensure that millions of Americans who 
signed up for the ``Do-Not-Call'' registry do not face a resumption of 
unwanted calls from telemarketers next year when registrations on the 
registry begin to expire.
  Most Americans are unaware that their registration on the list is set 
to expire after 5 years. The expiration is unnecessary, most people who 
initially wanted to be rid of telemarketing calls likely still want to 
block these calls. The system automatically removes numbers that are 
disconnected and reassigned.
  The automatic expiration will only create a hassle for Americans as 
they start receiving calls again and have to go through the process of 
re-registering. The U.S. Government would have to spend money to let 
people know they need to sign up again.
  This bill would prevent the automatic expiration and removal of 
numbers from the registry.
  Congress established the ``Do Not Call'' registry in 2003. It quickly 
became one of the most popular consumer protection programs in history. 
Congress did not provide for automatic expiration of ``Do Not Call'' 
list registrations, but the FTC and FCC included an automatic five year 
expiration for registrations when they wrote the rules for implementing 
the program.
  That was not what Congress intended. As things stand today, 52 
million Americans will either have to re-register on October 1, 2008, 
or get ready to hear their telephones ringing during supper time again 
with unwanted, commercial solicitation calls.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
placed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 2096

       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 ``Do-Not-Call Improvement Act 
     of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. PROHIBITION OF EXPIRATION DATE FOR REGISTERED 
                   TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

       The Do-Not-Call Implementation Act (15 U.S.C. 6101 note) is 
     amended--
       (1) by inserting ``Such rule shall not provide any date of 
     expiration for telephone numbers registered on the `do-not-
     call' registry, nor for any predetermined time limitation for 
     telephone numbers to remain on the registry.'' after the 
     first sentence in section 3; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 5. PROHIBITION OF EXPIRATION DATE.

       ``In issuing regulations regarding the `do-not-call' 
     registry of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (16 C. F. R. 
     310.4(b)(1)(iii)), the Federal Trade Commission shall not 
     provide for any date of expiration for telephone numbers 
     registered on the `do-not-call' registry, nor for any 
     predetermined time limitation for telephone numbers to remain 
     on the registry.''.
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