[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5827-H5831]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1415
                      FRAUD AND SCAM REDUCTION ACT

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 2610) to establish a Senior Scams Prevention Advisory 
Council to collect and disseminate model educational materials useful 
in identifying and preventing scams that affect seniors, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2610

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Fraud and 
     Scam Reduction Act''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
     is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Commission defined.

         TITLE I--PREVENTING CONSUMER SCAMS DIRECTED AT SENIORS

Sec. 101. Short title.
Sec. 102. Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group.

[[Page H5828]]

                 TITLE II--SENIOR FRAUD ADVISORY OFFICE

Sec. 201. Short title.
Sec. 202. Senior Fraud Advisory Office.

   TITLE III--PREVENTING THE TARGETING OF SENIORS DURING EMERGENCIES

Sec. 301. Short title.
Sec. 302. FTC report on scams targeting seniors during emergencies.
Sec. 303. Increasing awareness of scams targeting seniors.

           TITLE IV--PREVENTING SCAMS TARGETING INDIAN TRIBES

Sec. 401. Short title.
Sec. 402. FTC report on unfair or deceptive acts or practices targeting 
              Indian Tribes.

           TITLE V--ENHANCING CONSUMER PROTECTION ENFORCEMENT

Sec. 501. Short title.
Sec. 502. Unfair and deceptive practices cooperation study.

              TITLE VI--DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS

Sec. 601. Determination of budgetary effects.

     SEC. 2. COMMISSION DEFINED.

       In this Act, the term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
     Trade Commission.

         TITLE I--PREVENTING CONSUMER SCAMS DIRECTED AT SENIORS

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Stop Senior Scams Act''.

     SEC. 102. SENIOR SCAMS PREVENTION ADVISORY GROUP.

       (a) Establishment of Senior Scams Prevention Advisory 
     Group.--There is established a Senior Scams Prevention 
     Advisory Group (referred to in this section as the ``Advisory 
     Group'').
       (b) Members.--The Advisory Group shall be composed of 
     stakeholders such as the following individuals or the 
     designees of such individuals:
       (1) The Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.
       (2) The Secretary of the Treasury.
       (3) The Attorney General.
       (4) The Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial 
     Protection.
       (5) Representatives from each of the following sectors, 
     including trade associations, to be selected by Federal Trade 
     Commission:
       (A) Retail.
       (B) Gift cards.
       (C) Telecommunications.
       (D) Wire-transfer services.
       (E) Senior peer advocates.
       (F) Consumer advocacy organizations with efforts focused on 
     preventing seniors from becoming the victims of scams.
       (G) Financial services, including institutions that engage 
     in digital currency.
       (H) Prepaid cards.
       (6) A member of the Board of Governors of the Federal 
     Reserve System.
       (7) A prudential regulator, as defined in section 1002 of 
     the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 (12 U.S.C. 
     5481).
       (8) The Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement 
     Network.
       (9) Any other Federal, State, or local agency, industry 
     representative, consumer advocate, or entity, as determined 
     by the Federal Trade Commission.
       (c) No Compensation for Members.--A member of the Advisory 
     Group shall serve without compensation in addition to any 
     compensation received for the service of the member as an 
     officer or employee of the United States, if applicable.
       (d) Duties.--
       (1) In general.--The Advisory Group shall--
       (A) collect information on the existence, use, and success 
     of educational materials and programs for retailers, 
     financial services, and wire-transfer companies, which--
       (i) may be used as a guide to educate employees on how to 
     identify and prevent scams that affect seniors; and
       (ii) include--

       (I) useful information for retailers, financial services, 
     and wire transfer companies for the purpose described in 
     clause (i);
       (II) training for employees on ways to identify and prevent 
     senior scams;
       (III) best practices for keeping employees up to date on 
     current scams;
       (IV) the most effective signage and placement in retail 
     locations to warn seniors about scammers' use of gift cards, 
     prepaid cards, and wire transfer services;
       (V) suggestions on effective collaborative community 
     education campaigns;
       (VI) available technology to assist in identifying possible 
     scams at the point of sale; and
       (VII) other information that would be helpful to retailers, 
     wire transfer companies, financial institutions, and their 
     employees as they work to prevent fraud affecting seniors; 
     and

       (B) based on the findings in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) identify inadequacies, omissions, or deficiencies in 
     those educational materials and programs for the categories 
     listed in subparagraph (A) and their execution in reaching 
     employees to protect older adults; and
       (ii) create model materials, best practices guidance, or 
     recommendations to fill those inadequacies, omissions, or 
     deficiencies that may be used by industry and others to help 
     protect older adults from scams.
       (2) Encouraged use.--The Federal Trade Commission shall--
       (A) make the materials or guidance created by the Federal 
     Trade Commission described in paragraph (1) publicly 
     available; and
       (B) encourage the use and distribution of the materials 
     created under this subsection to prevent scams affecting 
     seniors by governmental agencies and the private sector.
       (e) Reports.--Section 101(c)(2) of the Elder Abuse 
     Prevention and Prosecution Act (34 U.S.C. 21711(c)(2)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(E) for the Federal Trade Commission, in relevant years, 
     information on--
       ``(i) the newly created materials, guidance, or 
     recommendations of the Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group 
     established under section 2 of the Stop Senior Scams Act, and 
     any relevant views or considerations made by members of the 
     Advisory Group that were not included in the Advisory Group's 
     model materials or considered an official recommendation by 
     the Advisory Group;
       ``(ii) the Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group's 
     findings about senior scams and industry educational 
     materials and programs; and
       ``(iii) any recommendations on ways stakeholders can 
     continue to work together to reduce scams affecting 
     seniors.''.
       (f) Termination.--This title, and the amendments made by 
     this title, cease to be effective on the date that is 5 years 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.

                 TITLE II--SENIOR FRAUD ADVISORY OFFICE

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Seniors Fraud Prevention 
     Act of 2020''.

     SEC. 202. SENIOR FRAUD ADVISORY OFFICE.

       (a) Establishment of Advisory Office.--The Federal Trade 
     Commission shall establish an office within the Bureau of 
     Consumer Protection for the purpose of advising the 
     Commission on the prevention of fraud targeting seniors and 
     to assist the Commission with the following:
       (1) Oversight.--The advisory office shall monitor the 
     market for mail, television, internet, telemarketing, and 
     recorded message telephone call (hereinafter referred to as 
     ``robocall'') fraud targeting seniors and shall coordinate 
     with other relevant agencies regarding the requirements of 
     this section.
       (2) Consumer education.--The Commission through the 
     advisory office shall, in consultation with the Attorney 
     General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the 
     Postmaster General, the Chief Postal Inspector for the United 
     States Postal Inspection Service, and other relevant 
     agencies--
       (A) disseminate to seniors and families and caregivers of 
     seniors general information on mail, television, internet, 
     telemarketing, and robocall fraud targeting seniors, 
     including descriptions of the most common fraud schemes;
       (B) disseminate to seniors and families and caregivers of 
     seniors information on reporting complaints of fraud 
     targeting seniors either to the national toll-free telephone 
     number established by the Commission for reporting such 
     complaints, or to the Consumer Sentinel Network, operated by 
     the Commission, where such complaints will become immediately 
     available to appropriate law enforcement agencies, including 
     the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the attorneys general 
     of the States;
       (C) in response to a specific request about a particular 
     entity or individual, provide publically available 
     information of enforcement action taken by the Commission for 
     mail, television, internet, telemarketing, and robocall fraud 
     against such entity; and
       (D) maintain a website to serve as a resource for 
     information for seniors and families and caregivers of 
     seniors regarding mail, television, internet, telemarketing, 
     robocall, and other identified fraud targeting seniors.
       (3) Complaints.--The Commission through the advisory office 
     shall, in consultation with the Attorney General, establish 
     procedures to--
       (A) log and acknowledge the receipt of complaints by 
     individuals who believe they have been a victim of mail, 
     television, internet, telemarketing, and robocall fraud in 
     the Consumer Sentinel Network, and shall make those 
     complaints immediately available to Federal, State, and local 
     law enforcement authorities; and
       (B) provide to individuals described in subparagraph (A), 
     and to any other persons, specific and general information on 
     mail, television, internet, telemarketing, and robocall 
     fraud, including descriptions of the most common schemes 
     using such methods of communication.
       (b) Commencement.--The Commission shall commence carrying 
     out the requirements of this section not later than one year 
     after the date of enactment of this Act.

   TITLE III--PREVENTING THE TARGETING OF SENIORS DURING EMERGENCIES

     SEC. 301. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Protecting Seniors from 
     Emergency Scams Act''.

     SEC. 302. FTC REPORT ON SCAMS TARGETING SENIORS DURING 
                   EMERGENCIES.

       Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Federal Trade Commission (referred to in this Act as 
     the ``Commission'') shall submit a report to Congress 
     including--

[[Page H5829]]

       (1) a description of the number and types of scams 
     identified by the Commission as being targeted at senior 
     citizens; and
       (2) policy recommendations to prevent such scams, 
     especially as such scams relate to future national 
     emergencies.

     SEC. 303. INCREASING AWARENESS OF SCAMS TARGETING SENIORS.

       (a) In General.--As soon as practicable after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Commission shall update its web 
     portal to include the latest information, searchable by 
     region and type of scam, on scams targeting seniors, 
     including contacts for relevant law enforcement and adult 
     protective service agencies.
       (b) Coordination With Media Outlets and Law Enforcement.--
     The Commission shall work with media outlets and law 
     enforcement to distribute the information included in the web 
     portal of the Commission pursuant to subsection (a) to senior 
     citizens and their families and caregivers.

           TITLE IV--PREVENTING SCAMS TARGETING INDIAN TRIBES

     SEC. 401. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Protecting Indian Tribes 
     from Scams Act''.

     SEC. 402. FTC REPORT ON UNFAIR OR DECEPTIVE ACTS OR PRACTICES 
                   TARGETING INDIAN TRIBES.

       (a) FTC Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, and after consultation with Indian 
     Tribes, the Commission shall make publicly available on the 
     website of the Commission and submit to the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the 
     Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
     Senate a report on unfair or deceptive acts or practices 
     targeted at Indian Tribes or members of Indian Tribes, 
     including--
       (1) a description of the types of unfair or deceptive acts 
     or practices identified by the Commission as being targeted 
     at Indian Tribes or members of Indian Tribes;
       (2) a description of the consumer education activities of 
     the Commission with respect to such acts or practices;
       (3) a description of the efforts of the Commission to 
     collaborate with Indian Tribes to prevent such acts or 
     practices or to pursue persons using such acts or practices;
       (4) a summary of the enforcement actions taken by the 
     Commission related to such acts or practices; and
       (5) any recommendations for legislation to prevent such 
     acts or practices.
       (b) Increasing Awareness of Unfair or Deceptive Acts or 
     Practices Targeting Indian Tribes.--Not later than 6 months 
     after the date of the submission of the report required by 
     subsection (a), the Commission shall update the website of 
     the Commission to include information for consumers and 
     businesses on identifying and avoiding unfair or deceptive 
     acts or practices targeted at Indian Tribes or members of 
     Indian Tribes.

           TITLE V--ENHANCING CONSUMER PROTECTION ENFORCEMENT

     SEC. 501. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``FTC Collaboration Act of 
     2020''.

     SEC. 502. UNFAIR AND DECEPTIVE PRACTICES COOPERATION STUDY.

       (a) In General.--
       (1) Study required.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Trade Commission 
     shall conduct a study on facilitating and refining existing 
     efforts with State Attorneys General to prevent, publicize, 
     and penalize frauds and scams being perpetrated on 
     individuals in the United States.
       (2) Requirements of study.--In conducting the study, the 
     Commission shall examine the following:
       (A) The roles and responsibilities of the Commission and 
     State Attorneys General that best advance collaboration and 
     consumer protection.
       (B) The policies, procedures, and mechanisms that 
     facilitate cooperation and communications across the 
     Commission.
       (C) How resources should be dedicated to best advance such 
     collaboration and consumer protection.
       (D) The accountability mechanisms that should be 
     implemented to promote collaboration and consumer protection.
       (3) Consultation and public comment.--In producing the 
     study required in paragraph (1), the Commission shall--
       (A) consult with--
       (i) the National Association of State Attorneys General;
       (ii) public interest organizations dedicated to consumer 
     protection;
       (iii) relevant private sector entities; and
       (iv) any other Federal or State agency that the Federal 
     Trade Commission considers necessary; and
       (B) provide opportunity for public comment and advice 
     relevant to the production of the study.
       (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 6 months after the 
     completion of the study required pursuant to subsection (a), 
     the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Energy and 
     Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and make 
     publicly available on the website of the Commission, a report 
     that contains the following:
       (1) The results of the study.
       (2) Recommended best practices to enhance collaboration 
     efforts between the Commission and State Attorneys General 
     with respect to preventing, publicizing, and penalizing fraud 
     and scams.
       (3) Quantifiable metrics by which enhanced collaboration 
     can be measured.
       (4) Legislative recommendations, if any, to enhance 
     collaboration efforts between the Commission and State 
     Attorneys General to prevent, publicize, and penalize fraud 
     and scams.

              TITLE VI--DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS

     SEC. 601. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

       The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
     complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall 
     be determined by reference to the latest statement titled 
     ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act, 
     submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the 
     Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such 
     statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 2610.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of H.R. 2610, the Fraud and 
Scam Reduction Act. This bipartisan bill was introduced by 
Representatives Blunt Rochester and Walberg and advanced out of the 
Energy and Commerce Committee by a voice vote.
  Reducing scams and fraud is an issue of utmost importance in every 
community, and especially so during these uncertain and unprecedented 
times. Right now, we are, fortunately, seeing the best of humanity, but 
unscrupulous scammers and fraudsters still abound seeking to capitalize 
on confusion and fear.
  Seniors, Mr. Speaker, are especially vulnerable. According to the 
most recent report from the Federal Trade Commission, older adults 
reported nearly $400 million in losses from fraud in 2018. It is rare 
to recover these losses. We all need to work together to protect senior 
citizens from scams before they fall victim and suffer these monetary 
losses.
  This bill, originally titled the Stop Senior Scams Act, establishes a 
new Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Council composed of relevant 
government agencies and industry representatives to collect and 
implement best practices to stop scammers before they can cause harm. 
It establishes a new program to prevent fraud that targets seniors. The 
bill will also improve educational materials on senior scams and make 
sure they are publicly available.
  I want to thank Representatives Deutch and Buchanan for introducing 
the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act which was incorporated in H.R. 2610 
during the full committee's consideration of the bill. That legislation 
establishes an office at the FTC dedicated to preventing fraud 
targeting seniors and monitoring the market for such fraud.
  This bill also includes the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams 
Act which was introduced by Representatives Kelly and Marshall. This 
bill streamlines efforts to protect seniors from falling prey to scams 
during national emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, by 
establishing a searchable database of scams targeting seniors.
  One often overlooked area in Federal fraud prevention efforts are 
scams targeting Indian Tribes and Tribal members. The scope and scale 
of scams affecting Indian Tribes has not been well-documented, 
hindering efforts to prevent them. So I also want to thank 
Representative Lujan--soon Governor Lujan--and also Representative 
Gianforte for their work on this issue and for introducing the 
Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act, which was also incorporated in 
this bill, H.R. 2610. The legislation that they sponsored requires the 
FTC to issue a report on scams targeting Indian Tribes or Tribal 
members and update its website to include information on these scams.
  In addition, our State attorneys general play a critical role in 
enforcing and complementing Federal consumer

[[Page H5830]]

protection laws. The FTC Collaboration Act, introduced by 
Representatives O'Halleran and Hudson and incorporated also into this 
bill, will help the FTC optimize its collaboration with States 
attorneys general by studying the matter and issuing a report on how to 
further promote collaboration.
  So I want to commend Representatives Blunt Rochester and Walberg for 
introducing this bipartisan legislation, as well as all of the other 
lead sponsors of the bills that were folded into this larger 
legislative package. I also want to thank Ranking Member Walden and 
subcommittee Ranking Member Rodgers for working with us to move this 
bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee on a bipartisan basis.
  As you can see, Mr. Speaker, this bill incorporates a number of 
important pieces of legislation. For all those reasons, I ask my 
colleagues to support the measure, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2610, the Stop 
Seniors Scam Act.
  I too want to thank the main sponsors, Representatives Walberg and 
Blunt Rochester. I know we are all keeping Representative Walberg in 
our thoughts and prayers as he copes with COVID right now, or he would 
be here on the floor.
  I also want to acknowledge Representatives Hudson, Lujan, O'Halleran, 
Kelly, and Gianforte. I guess to follow up on our chairman's comment, 
this was the bill to cosponsor if you want to move into higher office 
apparently. Both a future Governor and Senator are cosponsors here, and 
who knows where the rest of the gang goes.
  The Stop Senior Scams Act would establish a Senior Scams Prevention 
Advisory Council which would create model educational materials to 
educate employees of retail companies, financial institutions, and wire 
transfer companies on how to identify and prevent scams. Importantly, 
this effort prioritizes scams targeting our senior citizens and Native 
nations, populations that have unfortunately and tragically been 
targeted at a much higher rate during the COVID-19 pandemic by scammers 
offering false medications----
  Can you imagine that, Mr. Speaker? Or faster ways to claim stimulus 
checks or Social Security checks. All of them are fraud.
  The bill would also help enhance collaborative efforts between the 
Federal Trade Commission and State attorneys general to prevent, 
publicize, and penalize frauds and scams targeting U.S. citizens.

  It is critical for Congress to do our duty to help end these scams.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this legislation, and I reserve the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I have a number of speakers from our 
committee on the various bills incorporated in this, and I will start 
with the sponsor for the main bill, H.R. 2610.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Delaware (Ms. 
Blunt Rochester).
  Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 
2610, the Fraud and Scam Reduction Act.
  Mr. Speaker, we have all received those calls and those emails--folks 
pretending to be from a Federal agency or law enforcement telling you 
that they need your personal information or money. And while many of us 
may ignore those calls or send the emails to spam, the reality is that 
these fraud schemes are real, they are dangerous, and they are often 
targeted at seniors.
  Bad actors preying on older Americans is, unfortunately, nothing new. 
But in the midst of a global pandemic impacting Americans' lives and 
livelihoods, cracking down on these scams must be a priority. That is 
why earlier this Congress I was proud to introduce the Stop Senior 
Scams Act along with my Republican colleague, Representative Tim 
Walberg, who worked very hard on this. We send our thoughts and prayers 
to him.
  This bill, as its name suggests, was aimed at cracking down on these 
scams by creating a Federal Trade Commission advisory group and was 
supported by the AARP. The FTC group that would be created would be 
made up of government agencies, consumer advocates, and industry 
representatives to help identify potential sources of fraud. It would 
create educational materials for our Nation's seniors to protect them 
from these dangerous schemes and ensure that they are not taken 
advantage of.
  Under the leadership of Chairman Pallone and Chairwoman Schakowsky, 
and thanks to Ranking Member Walden, who is leaving us--and we are also 
sorry to see him leave--and Mrs. Rodgers, the Energy and Commerce 
Committee has been focused on cracking down on fraud. It was in that 
spirit that our committee combined the Stop Senior Scams Act with other 
antifraud provisions, creating a stronger and more comprehensive bill. 
I am also proud to say that protecting our constituents is not a 
partisan issue and that all five measures under H.R. 2610 are 
bipartisan.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the most fundamental obligations of government is 
to protect its citizens. Now more than ever, the least we can do is 
protect already vulnerable seniors from being taken advantage of by bad 
actors.
  The Fraud and Scam Reduction Act would give our seniors the 
information they need and empower them to avoid these dangerous and 
malicious scams. This bill is about protecting our grandparents, our 
parents, our sisters, our brothers, our neighbors, and our aunts and 
uncles. This is about protecting Americans, especially during a 
pandemic.
  I am proud to have worked with the Energy and Commerce Committee. I 
thank all of the other cosponsors and my colleagues, Democrat and 
Republican, for the work that they did to strengthen this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support its passage.
  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I want to thank the gentlewoman from Delaware, my friend, for her 
work on this and so many other pieces of legislation and our work 
together. We have had a good run. There is still more work to be done 
in the next 40-some days, but I thank her for her kind comments and her 
good work.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I urge passage, and I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman 
from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), who is the chair of our Subcommittee on 
Consumer Protection and Commerce. The gentlewoman has done such a 
wonderful job in trying to protect us from these frauds and scams, 
particularly during the coronavirus.
  Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding. I am 
very proud that the next three bills are bills that have come out of 
the subcommittee that I chair on Consumer Protection and Commerce. I 
absolutely want to thank all of the authors of the legislation, 
Representatives Blunt Rochester and Walberg; and the authors of the 
legislation that was incorporated into this bill, Representatives 
Deutch and Lujan, for their work on the Seniors Fraud Prevention Act; 
Representatives Kelly and Marshall for the Protecting Seniors from 
Emergency Scams Act; and Representatives Lujan and Gianforte for the 
Protecting Indian Tribes from Scams Act; and Representatives O'Halleran 
and Hudson for the FTC Collaboration Act.
  Some of our most vulnerable fellow Americans have been the targets 
and the victims of fraud and scams during the COVID-19 pandemic. 
Scammers especially target seniors. They exploit fear or confusion 
during crises and emergencies and prey on seniors' trust and assumption 
that they will be too embarrassed to finally report scams to the 
relevant authorities. In 2018 alone, seniors lost almost $400 million 
to fraud.
  Another often overlooked target of fraud and scams are the Indian 
Tribes and Tribal members. We urgently need a better understanding of 
fraud targeting these communities.
  This legislation tackles these problems. It establishes a new office 
that focuses on the prevention of fraud that targets seniors, including 
fraudulent marketing materials, and it does address the problem of the 
Tribes and Tribal members that need to be protected also from the 
scams.
  So I am very proud of this legislation and grateful to the many 
sponsors.

[[Page H5831]]

  

  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I have said before and I will say it again: I don't think there is a 
more fierce advocate for consumers than the gentlewoman who chairs the 
subcommittee. She has, once again, brought solid legislation to the 
floor. We appreciate her and her team working with us to make this 
bipartisan.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge passage, and I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman 
from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan). Again, I thank him for all that he has 
done as our Assistant Speaker and all that he has done for our Indian 
Tribes.
  Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to support the Fraud and Scam 
Reduction Act, which includes my bipartisan Protecting Indian Tribes 
from Scams Act that I introduced alongside Representative Gianforte, to 
address the rise of scams during this deadly pandemic.
  As our Nation grieves the loss of more than 247,000 Americans to 
COVID-19, and millions of families experience financial hardship, it is 
nothing short of reprehensible that scammers are preying on the most 
vulnerable amongst us.
  Fraud reports to the Federal Trade Commission, which had been steady 
at 770,000 per quarter over the past 4 years, jumped to 1.1 million 
this summer, including an increase of 144 percent coinciding with the 
pandemic. That demonstrates why we must come together to protect 
Americans against fraud and theft.
  Nationwide, predatory schemes have already cost Americans over $1.5 
billion in stolen assets so far in 2020. Scammers have targeted the 
$1,200 economic impact payments, peddled false treatments for COVID-19, 
and attempted to sell defective personal protective equipment at a time 
when the fears and confusion over COVID-19 remain high.
  These scams have put elders', military servicemembers', and families' 
health and finances at risk, and it is time for Congress to put an end 
to the despicable practice. This bipartisan effort will help Congress 
take additional measures to tackle this threat and better understand 
the scale of this crisis.
  As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise in New Mexico and across 
the Nation, I will continue working, on a bipartisan basis, to provide 
additional relief and alleviate the financial pressures that all New 
Mexicans are facing.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to 
protect our communities against scams and fraud.
  I thank the chairman for his work. I thank Chairwoman Schakowsky for 
her work. And I thank Chairman and current Ranking Member   Greg Walden 
for his work, his commitment to his constituents, his service to the 
people of America.
  Mr. Speaker, Greg is a good friend. It has been fun to spar with him. 
It has been fun to work with him. I look forward to his public service 
after he retires from the U.S. House of Representatives.
  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New Mexico. I think it is 
worth pointing out that this probably won't make a lot of coverage in 
national media, but he chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign 
Committee when I chaired the National Republican Congressional 
Committee. We are of different parties and sort of different regions, 
in a way; we are both westerners. But once again, we are working 
together for the American people, and we do a lot of that around here. 
Especially on the Committee on Energy and Commerce, we have a fine 
record of working things out. We have 16 of these bipartisan things on 
the floor today, and I just wish our constituents saw more of this.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish the gentleman from New Mexico well in his 
endeavors across the Capitol. He will bring a breath of fresh air over 
there, and I know his commitment to his State and all who reside in it.
  I hope our paths do continue to cross in some manner. I have enjoyed 
serving with the gentleman from New Mexico.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time I have 
remaining.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New Jersey has 8 minutes 
remaining.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Ms. Kelly), who is a member of our committee.
  Ms. KELLY of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, since the start of the COVID-19 
pandemic, we have seen an increase in scams targeting older Americans. 
These scammers promise everything from COVID cures and take-home 
testing kits to insurance and stimulus funds.
  That is why I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2610, the Fraud and 
Scam Reduction Act. This bill, championed by my friend, Representative 
Lisa Blunt Rochester, includes my bill and Representative Marshall's 
bill, the Protecting Seniors from Emergency Scams Act. This bipartisan 
legislation ensures that the FTC makes available resources for older 
Americans about the type and number of scams targeting their region. It 
also requires an FTC report to Congress on that information so we can 
prevent seniors from falling victim to scams during future pandemics.
  While we may be closer to a vaccine, this will likely only increase 
the number of these diabolical scams. Let's arm older Americans with 
the right information to prevent themselves from falling victim. Let's 
make locally specific resources available to caregivers already working 
around the clock. Let's help the FTC win this fight against scammers.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of H.R. 2610.
  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague from 
Illinois for her support of this legislation and her work on it.
  Once again, I urge passage of the legislation, and I yield back the 
balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I would also urge passage of this bill, 
which, as we mentioned, includes a lot of other bills as well and makes 
up an important package dealing with fraud and scams.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 2610, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title of the bill was amended so as to read: ``A bill to 
establish an office within the Federal Trade Commission and an outside 
advisory group to prevent fraud targeting seniors and to direct the 
Commission to study and submit a report to Congress on scams targeting 
seniors and Indian tribes, and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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