[Senate Report 109-253]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



109th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     109-253
_______________________________________________________________________

                                     

                                                       Calendar No. 425
 
                 PROTECTING CONSUMER PHONE RECORDS ACT

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                                S. 2389

                             together with

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS




                   May 9, 2006--Ordered to be printed


       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                       one hundred ninth congress
                             second session

                     TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman
                 DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Co-Chairman
JOHN McCAIN, Arizona                 JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West 
CONRAD BURNS, Montana                    Virginia
TRENT LOTT, Mississippi              JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts
KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas          BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota
OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine              BARBARA BOXER, California
GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon              BILL NELSON, Florida
JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada                  MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia               FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey
JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire        E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska
JIM DeMINT, South Carolina           MARK PRYOR, Arkansas
DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
                    Lisa Sutherland, Staff Director
                 Christine Kurth, Deputy Staff Director
                    Kenneth Nahigian, Chief Counsel
     Margaret Cummisky, Democratic Staff Director and Chief Counsel
 Samuel Whitehorn, Democratic Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel


                                                       Calendar No. 425
109th Congress                                                   Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session                                                     109-253

======================================================================

                                  _____
                                




                 PROTECTING CONSUMER PHONE RECORDS ACT

                                _______
                                

                  May 9, 2006.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

       Mr. Stevens, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                             together with

                            ADDITIONAL VIEWS

                         [To accompany S. 2389]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the bill (S. 2389) to amend the 
Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the unlawful acquisition 
and use of confidential customer proprietary network 
information, and for other purposes, having considered the 
same, reports favorably thereon with an amendment (in the 
nature of a substitute) and recommends that the bill (as 
amended) do pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

  The purpose of S. 2389 is to make it illegal to acquire, use, 
sell, or solicit a third party to unlawfully obtain a person's 
confidential phone records without that person's consent. The 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would be required to 
enhance the confidentiality procedures of telecommunications 
carriers and IP-enabled voice providers with access to such 
information to the extent existing protections are inconsistent 
with standards set forth in the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (P.L. 
106-102) (GLBA). The bill also would provide the FCC and the 
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with strengthened enforcement 
authority to ensure that confidential phone records are not 
accessible by bad actors. Under the bill, a carrier or an IP-
enabled voice provider would be required to notify a customer 
if someone without authorization gains access to a customer's 
phone records. The bill's provisions would cover wireless, 
wireline, and IP telephone services. Furthermore, the bill 
would require the FCC and FTC to educate the public on various 
protections and enforcement efforts used to prevent 
unauthorized access of consumers' phone records.

                          Background and Needs

  Personal phone records are confidential consumer information, 
but have recently become targets of data brokers who buy and 
sell customer phone records for a fee over the Internet. Data 
brokers sometimes use what is called ``pretexting,'' whereby a 
person impersonates a phone customer to obtain confidential 
customer phone records from a carrier. The broker then sells 
the records on a website to anyone willing to pay a small fee. 
Certain websites, like ``www.locatecell.com,'' have offered for 
sale to the public a full cell phone record of a consumer's 
incoming and outgoing calls for $110.00. In a recent stunt by 
an online blogger, the cell phone records of former 
Presidential candidate, Wesley Clark, were purchased from 
``www.celltolls.com'' for $89.95. The relative ease by which 
individuals can obtain and sell these records has led to public 
calls for government action to prevent such personal 
information from becoming public.
  Investigations currently are underway by both the FCC and the 
FTC as to how phone records are being divulged to third party 
data brokers without a customer's consent. Several methods are 
possible, but the use of pretexting likely is a primary method 
through which phone records are obtained by impersonating the 
authorized user. Pretexting is made even easier if unauthorized 
third parties obtain personal information such as a customer's 
password, Social Security number, or identifying information 
that can be used to convince the carrier that release of the 
true customer's phone records is legitimate and appropriate.
  Other methods and means by which unauthorized third parties 
obtain and sell personal phone records in the public domain 
include hacking and compromised employees.
  In addition to recent actions taken by Federal regulators 
against pretexters, the FCC also issued a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking in February to consider what additional steps, if 
any, should be taken by the Commission to further protect the 
confidentiality of customer proprietary network information 
(CPNI).
  Telecommunications carriers are already under an affirmative 
obligation to protect and safeguard a customer's proprietary 
information, and to refrain from distributing this information 
to a third party without the customer's consent or as permitted 
by law (e.g., emergency purposes, law enforcement purposes) (47 
U.S.C. Sec. 1A222). CPNI includes such data as quantity of 
phone calls by a customer, destination of the phone call, 
location, and amount of use of a telecommunications service. 
For example, if a customer purchases basic local telephone 
service, the local telephone company and its affiliates do not 
need the customer's approval to use CPNI to try to sell voice 
mail or caller ID services to the customer. The local telephone 
company, however, may not use or share CPNI with an affiliate 
to try to sell wireless service without the customer's 
approval, because wireless telephone service is a different 
category of service than local telephone service.
  With such an affirmative obligation regime in place, the 
carrier must still be able to provide a customer with personal 
account information upon request. Carriers, therefore, are 
required to balance a customer's expectation of privacy that 
phone records remain closed to public inquiry, while 
concurrently providing a level of service that does not impede 
access for a customer in obtaining the customer's own 
information.
  Currently, under rules adopted pursuant to GLBA, specific 
prohibitions on prextexting are limited to cases where 
pretexting is used to obtain financial records. Current law 
does not specifically outlaw pretexting for phone records. (15 
U.S.C. Sec. 1A45(a) and Sec. 1A6801-09). The FTC has taken the 
position that it has the power to pursue actions against phone 
record pretexters based on its general authority to prevent 
deceptive and unfair business practices, but without this 
explicit ban, such practices may be more difficult to 
prosecute. Even if FTC's authority to pursue actions against 
pretexters of phone records is assumed, the Federal Trade 
Commission Act (FTC Act) does not authorize the immediate 
imposition of civil penalties against third party data brokers. 
An action filed in a Federal district court against the accused 
party would be the only way for the FTC to obtain injunctive or 
equitable relief.

                         Summary of Provisions

  The bill, S. 2389, would make it illegal to acquire or use a 
person's phone records without that person's written consent; 
to acquire a person's phone records by misrepresenting that 
person's consent to such acquisition; to obtain unauthorized 
access to data; or to sell or solicit data that was or will be 
obtained without authorization. The bill would provide 
exceptions for phone companies using customer information for 
legitimate uses not currently prohibited by section 222 of the 
Communications Act. IP-enabled voice providers, which are not 
currently covered by law, would be specifically treated as 
phone companies for the purpose of allowing them to benefit 
from the same course of business exemption.
  The bill would require the FCC to issue rules enhancing 
confidentiality procedures for phone companies or IP-enabled 
voice service providers to the extent the FCC determines that 
changes in its rules are necessary to bring confidentiality 
protections in line with these regulations adopted by the FTC 
under GLBA, taking into consideration the differences between 
financial information and CPNI.
  The bill would increase penalties and extend the FCC's 
statute of limitations under section 509 of the Communications 
Act from one year to two years. The bill also would extend 
phone record protection requirements under section 222 of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (1934 Act) to IP-enabled voice 
service providers. Within 14 calendar days of a breach, phone 
companies and IP-enabled service providers would be required to 
notify a customer whose records were improperly given out.
  The bill also would provide for service provider enforcement 
as if the violations of the bill were an unfair or deceptive 
act or practice, and would give the FCC concurrent jurisdiction 
with the FTC in that respect to enforce the illegal acquisition 
provisions of the bill. The bill would provide that venue for 
any action shall be in the place of business of the service 
provider rather than the bad actor. It would preempt State laws 
regulating the treatment of CPNI by telecommunications carriers 
and IP-enabled voice service providers except those of general 
applicability, tort or contract law, and other fraud or 
computer crime laws. It also would require the FTC and the FCC 
to jointly establish and implement a public education campaign.

                          Legislative History

  The Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act was introduced by 
Senator Allen on March 8, 2006, and is cosponsored by Senators 
Stevens, Inouye, Burns, Dorgan, Hutchison, Bill Nelson, Pryor, 
Vitter, Coleman, Martinez, Santorum, Talent, Thune, and Warner. 
On Wednesday, February 8, 2006, the Subcommittee on Consumer 
Affairs, Product Safety, and Insurance held a hearing to 
examine privacy implications arising from the distribution of 
personal phone records without a customer's prior 
authorization. The subsequent sale of these phone records over 
the Internet by third party data brokers/website operators was 
the focus of the hearing. The Subcommittee heard testimony on 
available methods for preventing third parties from obtaining 
consumers' phone records without consent.
  On March 30, 2006, the Committee held an Executive Session 
during which S. 2389 was considered. Chairman Stevens and 
Senator Inouye offered an amendment in the nature of a 
substitute that would clarify that consent to acquire phone 
records may be granted electronically; clarify that the general 
prohibitions against the acquisition, use or sale of CPNI do 
not extend to the current business practices by voice providers 
(including IP-enabled voice service providers), or third 
parties that lawfully obtain CPNI from a carrier or provider 
that are not prohibited by section 222; and maintain the status 
quo with respect to the acquisition and use of CPNI for law 
enforcement, homeland security, or similar purposes already 
authorized by law. The substitute amendment was adopted by 
voice vote.
  An amendment to the substitute was offered by Senators 
Stevens and Burns that would expand the group of entities that 
may carry out State enforcement to include State Public Utility 
Commissions or other State agencies in States, which have 
delegated enforcement of such matters to such officials. The 
amendment to the substitute was adopted by voice vote.
  Senator Boxer offered an amendment to the substitute that 
would preclude wireless telephone companies from including 
customer numbers in any wireless directory assistance database 
without providing prior notice to customers of their right not 
to be listed and without obtaining express prior authorization 
from the customer to include his or her number in such 
database. The amendment also would prohibit wireless companies 
from charging customers for the removal of their number from a 
wireless directory and would preempt inconsistent State and 
local laws. The amendment to the substitute was adopted by 
voice vote.
  Senator Pryor offered an amendment to the substitute that 
would allow a consumer harmed by a violation of section 2 to 
bring a civil action in a Federal district court or other court 
of competent jurisdiction against the person who caused the 
harm. The consumer would be able to obtain damages of up to 
$11,000 per violation or treble damages if it is proven that 
the defendant knowingly or willfully violated section 2 of this 
bill. The Court would be permitted to assess against any party 
the costs of such an action, including reasonable attorney's 
fees. Although the Committee has not recently adopted a private 
right of action in other consumer legislation, the amendment 
was offered in this case because of the special type of 
physical and psychological harm that potentially could be 
caused if a consumer's CPNI is inappropriately obtained and 
used. Senator Pryor's amendment was adopted by a rollcall vote 
of 11 to 10 (Senator Rockefeller was recorded as necessarily 
absent).
  The Committee, without objection, ordered that S. 2389 be 
reported with amendments.

                            Estimated Costs

  In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:

                                                       May 8, 2006.
Hon. Ted Stevens,
Chairman, Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has 
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for S. 2389, the Protecting 
Consumer Phone Records Act.
    If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be 
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contacts are Melissa Z. 
Petersen (for federal costs), Sarah Puro (for the impact on 
state, local, and tribal governments), and Fatimot Ladipo (for 
the impact on the private sector).
            Sincerely,
                                          Donald B. Marron,
                                                   Acting Director.
    Enclosure.

S. 2389--Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act

    Summary: S. 2389 would prohibit obtaining or selling the 
personal information of telecommunications customers--including 
phone records--without the consumer's consent. The bill also 
would require telecommunications carriers to take precautions 
to safeguard customers' personal information and to notify 
customers whenever there is a breach in the security of this 
information. Under S. 2389, the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would 
enforce restrictions and requirements related to the security 
of this information, including assessing and collecting civil 
penalties for violations of the bill's provisions. Finally, the 
FCC and the FTC would conduct an outreach campaign to inform 
consumers of the security issues involving telecommunications 
information. Assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts, 
CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than 
$500,000 in 2006 and about $10 million over the 2007-2011 
period.
    Enacting S. 2389 could increase federal revenues and direct 
spending as a result of the collection of additional civil, 
criminal, and forfeiture penalties assessed for violations of 
the new laws and regulations. Collections of civil penalties 
and forfeiture penalties are recorded in the budget as 
revenues. Collections of criminal penalties are recorded in the 
budget as revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, and 
later spent. CBO estimates, however, that any additional 
revenues and direct spending that would result from enacting 
the bill would not be significant because of the relatively 
small number of cases likely to be involved.
    S. 2389 contains intergovernmental mandates as defined in 
the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), but CBO estimates 
costs to state, local, and tribal governments, if any, would be 
small and would not exceed the threshold established in UMRA 
($64 million in 2006, adjusted annually for inflation).
    S. 2389 would impose new private-sector mandates, as 
defined in UMRA, on telecommunications carriers and providers 
of Internet protocol (IP)-enabled voice service. The bill would 
require the FCC to prescribe more stringent confidentiality 
requirements for customer proprietary network information and 
require telecommunications carriers and IP-enabled voice 
service providers to certify on an annual basis that they are 
in compliance with those regulations. Additionally, the bill 
would require such providers to notify customers on a timely 
basis if their customer information has been disclosed, and 
prohibit wireless telephone providers from listing subscribers' 
numbers in any directory assistance database or written 
directory without prior authorization. The costs of several 
mandates depend on regulations that have not been established; 
therefore, CBO cannot determine whether the costs of the 
mandates in the bill would exceed the annual threshold for 
private-sector mandates ($128 million in 2006, adjusted 
annually for inflation).
    Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated 
budgetary impact of S. 2389 is shown in the following table. 
The costs of this legislation fall within budget function 370 
(commerce and housing credit). For this estimate, CBO assumes 
that the bill will be enacted in 2006 and that the necessary 
amounts will be appropriated for each year. Based on 
information from the FTC and the FCC, CBO estimates that 
implementing the bill would cost each agency less than $250,000 
in 2006 and about $5 million over the 2007-2011 period. In 
total, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less 
than $500,000 in 2006 and about $10 million over the 2007-2011 
period for the FCC and the FTC to enforce the bill's provisions 
regarding the personal information of telecommunications 
customers.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                               By fiscal year, in millions of dollars--
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
                                                        2006      2007      2008      2009      2010      2011
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION

Estimated Authorization Level.......................         *         2         2         2         2         2
Estimated Outlays...................................         *         2         2         2         2         2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: *=Less than $500,000.

    Estimated impact on State, local, and tribal governments: 
Provisions in section 7 would require State Attorneys General 
to notify the FTC and the FCC of any action taken under the 
bill, allow either federal agency to intervene in those 
actions, and limit the actions that Attorneys General may take 
in certain circumstances. Also, provisions in sections 4 and 8 
would preempt state laws regarding the protection and 
disclosure of certain phone records. Those provisions 
constitute intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA. CBO 
estimates that the aggregate costs, if any, to state, local, 
and tribal governments of complying with the mandates in the 
bill would be small and would not exceed the threshold 
established in UMRA ($64 million in 2006, adjusted for 
inflation).
    Estimated impact on the private sector: S. 2389 would 
impose new private-sector mandates, as defined in UMRA, on 
telecommunications carriers and IP-enabled voice service 
providers. As the cost of many of the provisions in the bill 
depend on the rules to be prescribed by the FCC, CBO cannot 
determine whether the costs of the mandates in the bill would 
exceed the annual threshold for private-sector mandates ($128 
million in 2006, adjusted annually for inflation).
    Section 3 of the bill would require the FCC to prescribe 
regulations adopting more stringent confidentiality procedures 
for protecting customer proprietary network information. The 
FCC regulations would require telecommunications carriers and 
IP-enabled voice service providers to:
           Protect the security and confidentiality of 
        customer proprietary network information;
           Certify annually that they are in compliance 
        with the current FCC regulations on protecting customer 
        proprietary information; and
           Notify a customer within 14 days if their 
        information was disclosed in violation of FCC 
        regulations.
    According to government sources, some of the requirements 
are currently practiced by the telecommunications industry. In 
addition, according to industry sources the direct cost for 
carriers to comply with these new notification requirements 
would be nominal. The cost of providing such additional 
security would depend on the rules to be prescribed by the FCC. 
Since the regulations have not been established, CBO cannot 
estimate the direct cost to comply with those mandates.
    Additionally, the bill would prohibit wireless 
communications providers from including their customers' 
wireless phone numbers in any wireless directory assistance 
service database or written directory without prior 
authorization. According to industry sources, wireless 
communications providers have not made this service available, 
however, some carriers may be exploring this service for their 
business subscribers. Those carriers have indicated that the 
cost of complying with this mandate would be small.
    Previous CBO estimates: On March 15, 2006, CBO transmitted 
a cost estimate for H.R. 4943, the Prevention of Fraudulent 
Access to Phone Records Act, as ordered reported by the House 
Committee on Energy and Commerce on March 8, 2006. The two 
bills contain similar provisions related to the security of the 
personal information of telecommunications customers. CBO 
estimates that both bills would have similar costs for the FCC, 
but that S. 2389 would have slightly higher costs for the FTC 
to enforce the new laws and regulations and to conduct the 
media campaign in conjunction with the FCC.
    H.R. 4943 is similar in scope to S. 2389 but does not 
contain any preemptions of state and local laws. The 
intergovernmental mandates statements reflect that difference.
    The private-sector mandates contained in H.R. 4943 are very 
similar to some of the mandates in S. 2389. Both bills require 
telecommunications carriers to increase the protection of 
customer proprietary network information, provide timely notice 
to each customer upon breach of customer proprietary network 
information. Because the cost of mandates in both bills depends 
on rules to be prescribed by the FCC, CBO could not determine 
whether those costs would exceed UMRA's annual threshold for 
private-sector mandates.
    Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Melissa Z. Petersen; 
Impact on State, Local, and Tribal governments: Sarah Puro; 
Impact on the Private Sector: Fatimot Ladipo.
    Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant 
Director for Budget Analysis.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

  In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:

                       NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

  The FCC may issue regulations to implement the requirement 
set forth in the reported bill that it be illegal to acquire, 
use, sell, or solicit a person's confidential phone records 
without that person's consent. The reported bill also would 
require the FCC to promulgate rules to the extent it determines 
necessary, to require regulated entities to enhance their 
procedures for protecting consumer records and ensure that its 
rules regarding the security of confidential phone records are 
consistent with those protections adopted under GLBA, taking 
into account the differences between financial information and 
CPNI. The FCC would be required to develop regulations to 
implement these requirement, so individuals or businesses that 
handle relevant consumer records subject to the legislation 
would become subject to new or modified regulations.

                            ECONOMIC IMPACT

  S. 2389 would not have an adverse economic impact on the 
nation's economy. The Act would require that the FCC impose 
additional safeguards and procedures on phone companies if they 
are determined to be necessary.

                                PRIVACY

  The reported bill would enhance the personal privacy of U.S. 
citizens.

                               PAPERWORK

  The reported bill should not increase paperwork requirements 
significantly for individuals and businesses.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title; Table of contents

  This section sets forth the short title ``Protecting Consumer 
Phone Records Act'' and the table of contents.

Section 2. Unauthorized acquisition, use, or sale of confidential 
        customer proprietary network telephone information

  Subsection (a) would make it unlawful for any person to 
acquire, use, or sell another person's customer proprietary 
network information or CPNI, which is already defined in 
section 222(i)(1) of the 1934 Act and includes phone records 
and certain other information made available to carriers based 
on the customer's use of the service, without that person's 
affirmative written consent (which may be given 
electronically). This subsection would outlaw the sale of CPNI 
and specifically would outlaw misrepresenting that a person has 
given authorization to another person to obtain their phone 
records, often referred to as pretexting.
  Subsection (b) would ensure that prohibitions under 
subsection 2(a) do not apply to legitimate business practices 
currently not prohibited by section 222 of the 1934 Act. This 
subsection would preserve law enforcement's ability to obtain 
phone records, require that IP-enabled voice service providers 
be treated like telecommunications carriers for purposes of 
section 2 of this bill, and clarify continued legality of using 
caller ID to identify calls received. Nothing in subsection 
2(b)(4) prohibits the use of caller identification services to 
identify the originator of telephone calls or requirements 
enabling a person to conceal their telephone number from caller 
ID devices and services. In addition, the Committee is aware 
that under current law telecommunications carriers and IP-
enabled voice service providers engage third parties in 
activities that involve CPNI in the normal course of business. 
For instance, a carrier or provider might contract out its 
billing functions, which necessarily involves CPNI, or may 
allow a company that is considering purchasing it to review its 
books and assets, including CPNI. In other examples, aggregate 
data containing phone numbers may be provided to third parties 
in a secure manner. Under each of these sharing scenarios, 
third parties agree via contract to be bound in their handling 
of such data by the laws applicable to carriers handling and 
use of such information. In still other cases, call data may be 
shared in connection with the provision of in-vehicle emergency 
communications in order to provide emergency services to 
consumers. Thus, to the extent that certain disclosures of CPNI 
data are permitted under current law, the Committee does not 
intend that anything in this Act would change the 
permissiveness of such practices. The Committee drafted the 
exception for legitimate business practices in subsection 2(b) 
with the intent of preserving such business practices that 
currently are not prohibited under section 222 of the 1934 Act 
or under the FCC's rules. The Committee does not intend for the 
exception to extend beyond normal business practices related to 
provisioning voice service. For instance, acquiring CPNI from 
another carrier in violation of section 2 is not intended to be 
covered by this exception.
  Subsection (c) would allow phone companies to initiate a 
private right of action against data brokers or others who 
illegally acquire, use, sell, or solicit phone records. This 
subsection would boost enforcement because a carrier may be in 
a better position than consumers to figure out who is obtaining 
this information and also may have more resources to litigate 
such claims. Similar authority has been helpful with respect to 
enforcing the anti-spam law. This subsection would provide for 
treble damages and for inflation adjustment.
  Subsection (d) would allow a consumer who was harmed by a 
violation of section 2 to bring a civil action in a Federal 
district court or other court of competent jurisdiction, but 
would not allow a consumer to bring a civil action against a 
telecommunications carrier. The consumer would be able to 
obtain damages of up to $11,000 per violation or treble damages 
if the defendant is proved to have knowingly or willfully 
violated section 2. The district court would be permitted to 
assess against any party the costs of such an action, including 
reasonable attorney's fees.
  Subsection (e) would provide for civil penalty of $11,000 for 
each violation or each day of a continuing violation, but caps 
penalty for single act or failure to act at $11,000,000.
  Subsection (f) would clarify that nothing under this Act or 
section 222 of the 1934 Act authorizes a customer to bring a 
private right of action against a telecommunications carrier or 
an IP-enabled voice service provider.
  Subsection (g) would provide definitions for the terms 
``Customer Proprietary Network Information,'' ``IP-enabled 
voice service,'' and ``Telecommunications Carrier.''

Section 3. Enhanced confidentiality procedures

  Subsection (a) would require the FCC to review its 
regulations and revise them, if necessary, to ensure that the 
regulations meet the three directives set forth in GLBA for 
financial institutions. To the extent the FCC revises its 
regulations, the Commission is directed to adopt rules similar 
in scope and structure to the regulations adopted by the FTC 
pursuant to GLBA. This is intended to help standardize industry 
practices for protecting consumer information.
  Subsection (b) would require phone companies to annually 
certify that such carriers are in compliance with section 222 
of the 1934 Act, as well as any regulations issued pursuant to 
this section.

Section 4. Penalties; Extension of confidentiality requirements to 
        other entities

  Subsection (a) would establish a $30,000 penalty per 
violation for any person found to have violated section 2 of 
this Act, with a limit of $90,000 per day for any continuing 
violation, and a cap of $3 million for any single act or 
failure to act. This section also would add additional criminal 
penalties under the 1934 Act of $30,000 per violation or 
$90,000 per day for any continuing violation.
  Subsection (b) would extend FCC's phone record and CPNI rules 
to IP-enabled voice services. As a result, all wireline, 
wireless and IP based phone companies would be covered by 
comparable rights and obligations.
  Subsection (c) would define IP-enabled voice service. The 
Committee notes that the definition of IP-enabled voice service 
provider is different in this bill than the definition used in 
the context of 911 calls over IP-enabled voice services. This 
bill would propose a definition that would capture one-way 
services that only allow calls to or from the public switched 
telephone network. In the context of 911, the Committee 
believed that consumers who purchase a voice service with 
limited capabilities and features would not necessarily expect 
to be able to call 911, so the definition in that context only 
included two-way services. However, the Committee believes that 
consumers still would have an expectation of privacy relative 
to the records of any phone calls they make or receive even in 
connection with a one-way service.
  Subsection (d) would require telecommunications carriers and 
IP-enabled voice service providers to notify customers within 
14 calendar days if they realize that the customers information 
has been provided to unauthorized third parties. This section 
also would provide an exception for delay consistent with law 
enforcement or homeland security determinations.
  Subsection (e) would provide for a two-year statute of 
limitations for FCC enforcement under title V of the 1934 Act.
  Subsection (f) would exempt cable VOIP service from the 
privacy requirements of title VI to the extent such service is 
covered by the Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act to provide 
competitive neutrality and to prevent conflicting regulatory 
requirements.
  Subsection (g) prohibits commercial mobile service providers 
from including the wireless telephone number information of any 
customer in a wireless directory assistance service database 
unless the provider first provides notice to the customer of 
the right not to be listed, and then obtains separate, express 
authorization from the customer to be included in the directory 
upon request on a cost-free basis. Finally, this subsection 
preempts any State or local laws that are inconsistent with its 
requirements.

Section 5. Enforcement by the FTC

    This section would provide authority for FTC enforcement of 
section 2 of the Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act as if a 
violation of that section were a violation of the FTC Act.

Section 6. Concurrent enforcement by the FCC

  This section would give the FCC concurrent jurisdiction with 
the FTC to enforce section 2, and would provide that for 
enforcement purposes a violation of section 2 would be deemed a 
violation of the 1934 Act.

Section 7. Enforcement by States

  Subsection 7(a) would allow States to sue in Federal district 
court to enforce section 2 or to impose civil penalties if 
State has reason to believe its citizens are threatened or 
adversely affected.
  Subsection 7(b) would require that before initiating a civil 
action under subsection 7(a), a State must serve written notice 
on the FTC and the FCC.
  Subsection 7(c) would allow the FTC and the FCC to intervene 
in a civil action under subsection 7(a) and to be heard on all 
matters therein and to file petitions for appeal of a decision 
in such civil action.
  Subsection 7(d) would clarify that subsection 7(a) would not 
prevent a State from conducting investigations or administering 
oaths or affirmations, or compelling the attendance of 
witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence.
  Subsection 7(e) would provide that venue for an action 
brought under subsection 7(a) lies in Federal district court 
pursuant to 28 U.S.C. 1391, and that process may be served 
without regard to territorial limits of the district or State 
where the action is instituted. Subsection 7(e) also would 
provide that a person who participated in an alleged violation 
may be joined in the civil action without regard to the 
residence of that person.
  Subsection 7(f) would provide that if either the FTC or the 
FCC has instituted a proceeding for violation of section 2, the 
State in which the violation has occurred may not bring an 
action under section 2 against the same alleged violator during 
pendency of such proceeding.

Section 8. Preemption of State law

  Section 8 would provide that sections 2 and any regulations 
prescribed pursuant to section 3 of this bill and section 222 
of the 1934 Act shall preempt (1) any State or local statute, 
regulation or rule that requires a telecommunications carrier 
or provider of IP-enabled voice service to develop, implement, 
maintain, or restrict customer proprietary network information 
or other individually identifiable customer information held by 
that telecommunications carrier or provider of IP-enabled voice 
service, and (2) any such statute, regulation, or rule, or 
judicial precedent of any State court under which liability is 
imposed on a telecommunications carrier or provider of IP-
enabled voice service for failure to comply with the 
requirements of section 2 or 3 of this Act, or section 222 of 
the 1934 Act. The Committee intends that Federal preemption 
under this section will extend to State laws that are 
inconsistent with the provisions of sections 2 or 3 of this Act 
and section 222 of the 1934 Act.

Section 9. Consumer outreach and education

  Section 9 would require that within 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the FTC and the FCC shall jointly 
establish and implement a campaign to educate the public about 
the protection afforded under this Act as well as under the FTC 
Act and the 1934 Act. Subsection 9(b) would require such public 
education campaign to inform the public about the theft and 
misuse of customer proprietary network information, methods to 
protect such information, and Federal prevention and 
enforcement efforts. In carrying out this education 
requirement, the FTC and FCC must explore the use of various 
distribution platforms.

                      Rollcall Votes in Committee

  Senator Pryor offered an amendment to the substitute that 
would allow a consumer who was harmed by a violation of section 
2 to bring a civil action in a Federal district court or other 
court of competent jurisdiction. By a rollcall vote of 11 yeas 
and 10 nays as follows (Senator Rockefeller was recorded as 
necessarily absent), the amendment was adopted.

        YEAS--11                      NAYS--10
Ms. Snowe                           Mr. McCain \1\
Mr. Smith                           Mr. Burns \1\
Mr. Inouye                          Mr. Lott
Mr. Kerry \1\                       Mrs. Hutchison \1\
Mr. Dorgan\1\                       Mr. Ensign\1\
Mrs. Boxer                          Mr. Allen
Mr. Nelson of Florida \1\           Mr. Sununu
Ms. Cantwell                        Mr. DeMint \1\
Mr. Lautenberg                      Mr. Vitter\1\
Mr. Nelson of Nebraska\1\           Mr. Stevens
Mr. Pryor

    \1\By proxy


                   ADDITIONAL VIEWS OF SENATOR PRYOR

PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION FOR CONSUMERS

  As the Committee considered the difficult issue of protecting 
consumers' private phone records, I felt that it was extremely 
important that consumers be given the tools they need to 
protect themselves from fraudulent and unscrupulous behavior. 
In this legislation, we have provided a litany of enforcement 
protections for consumers-including enforcement by the Federal 
Trade Commission, Federal Communications Commission, and State 
Attorneys General. I believe that these enforcement protections 
are valuable and necessary to helping end the practice of 
fraudulently obtaining and selling consumers' phone records 
without authorization from the consumer. I support them 
wholeheartedly. However, these enforcement protections do not 
provide any recourse for the consumer-the person or persons 
most likely to be harmed by unauthorized disclosures of phone 
records. Furthermore, FTC, FCC, and State Attorney General 
enforcement actions do not provide adequate protections for 
those whose phone records are used for stalking and domestic 
violence. For this reason, I offered an amendment to the 
committee bill that would authorize consumers who have been 
harmed by a person fraudulently obtaining or selling their 
phone records to file suit against the person who caused the 
harm through a violation of this act.
  The Committee also did adopt, as a part of this legislation, 
a providers' private right of action. Other recent consumer 
protection legislation has not included a consumers' private 
right of action. The inclusion of this amendment in this 
legislation does not lead me to believe that the committee will 
include a consumer private right of action in every 
circumstance. In the SPAM legislation, the committee provided 
Internet service providers a right of action. In S. 1408, the 
Identity Theft Protection Act, there is no consumer or provider 
private right of action. I believe that the exclusions of 
private rights of action in these pieces of legislation are not 
a good reason to exclude a consumer private right of action in 
this case. In both cases of identity theft and SPAM, the nature 
of the harm caused and the entity causing the harm are 
fundamentally different than is the case with phone records. 
Harm caused by SPAM is at worst an inconvenience, and 
legitimate businesses could have a breach due to an honest 
mistake in the case of identity theft. In those instances, we 
have not allowed consumers to sue businesses performing 
legitimate business practices. In the case of phone records, 
the nature of the harm that can be caused is dramatically 
different than in SPAM or identity theft because the harm can 
be physical-it can literally endanger someone's life. 
Individuals, rogue Internet operators, and fraudsters are 
deliberately trying to cause harm, and as the committee heard 
in testimony, this harm can sometimes lead to death. Because of 
the special type of harm that can be caused by an unauthorized 
disclosure of phone records, I believe a consumer private right 
of action is a needed additional protection for consumers.
  Several of my colleagues are concerned that the inclusion of 
this amendment will create a precedent for future committee 
consumer protection legislation. I believe that any future 
consideration of a private right of action for consumers should 
be done on a case by case basis. In this case of protecting 
phone records, I felt that a consumer private right of action 
was a common sense improvement to the bill, and a majority of 
my colleagues agreed. I don't expect my colleagues to always 
agree that this is an additional needed protection.
  The purpose of this legislation is to protect consumers' 
phone records. They are the ones most likely to be harmed 
through an unauthorized release of their phone records, and 
they have as much of a legally protectable interest as their 
providers. The intention of my amendment is to provide recourse 
for consumers who might not have any other place to go for 
help, especially in the case of domestic violence. I feel they 
should be allowed to pursue action, independent of the 
government, against the criminals who intentionally steal their 
information with the intent to cause harm. The unauthorized 
disclosure, sale, or use of consumers' phone records are 
practices we are trying to eliminate through this legislation. 
I believe that more enforcement is always preferable to less 
enforcement. My amendment is an attempt to make this bill 
stronger for consumers.

                        Changes in Existing Law

SEC. 222. PRIVACY OF CUSTOMER INFORMATION.

                            [47 U.S.C. 222]

  (a) In General.--Every telecommunications carrier or IP-
enabled voice service provider has a duty to protect the 
confidentiality of proprietary information of, and relating to, 
other [telecommunication carriers] telecommunications carriers 
or IP-enabled voice service providers, equipment manufacturers, 
and customers, including [telecommunication carriers] 
telecommunications carriers or IP-enabled voice service 
providers reselling telecommunications services provided by a 
telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice service 
provider.
  (b) Confidentiality of Carrier and IP-enabled Voice Service 
Provider Information.--A telecommunications carrier or IP-
enabled voice service provider that receives or obtains 
proprietary information from another carrier for purposes of 
providing any telecommunications service shall use such 
information only for such purpose, and shall not use such 
information for its own marketing efforts.
  (c) Confidentiality of Customer Proprietary Network 
Information.--
          (1) Privacy requirements for telecommunications 
        carriers and ip-enabled voice service providers.--
        Except as required by law or with the approval of the 
        customer, a telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled 
        voice service provider that receives or obtains 
        customer proprietary network information by virtue of 
        its provision of a telecommunications service shall 
        only use, disclose, or permit access to individually 
        identifiable customer proprietary network information 
        in its provision of (A) the telecommunications service 
        from which such information is derived, or (B) services 
        necessary to, or used in, the provision of such 
        telecommunications service, including the publishing of 
        directories.
          (2) Disclosure on request by customers.--A 
        telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice service 
        provider shall disclose customer proprietary network 
        information, upon affirmative written request by the 
        customer, to any person designated by the customer.
          (3) Aggregate customer information.--A 
        telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice service 
        provider that receives or obtains customer proprietary 
        network information by virtue of its provision of a 
        telecommunications service may use, disclose, or permit 
        access to aggregate customer information other than for 
        the purposes described in paragraph (1). A local 
        exchange carrier may use, disclose, or permit access to 
        aggregate customer information other than for purposes 
        described in paragraph (1) only if it provides such 
        aggregate information to other carriers or persons on 
        reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms and conditions 
        upon reasonable request therefor.
  (d) Exceptions.--Nothing in this section prohibits a 
telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice service provider 
from using, disclosing, or permitting access to customer 
proprietary network information obtained from its customers, 
either directly or indirectly through its agents--
          (1) to initiate, render, bill, and collect for 
        telecommunications services;
          (2) to protect the rights or property of the carrier 
        or provider, or to protect users of those services and 
        other carriers or providers from fraudulent, abusive, 
        or unlawful use of, or subscription to, such services;
          (3) to provide any inbound telemarketing, referral, 
        or administrative services to the customer for the 
        duration of the call, if such call was initiated by the 
        customer and the customer approves of the use of such 
        information to provide such service; and
          (4) to provide call location information concerning 
        the user of a commercial mobile service (as such term 
        is defined in section 332(d))--
                  (A) to a public safety answering point, 
                emergency medical service provider or emergency 
                dispatch provider, public safety, fire service, 
                or law enforcement official, or hospital 
                emergency or trauma care facility, in order to 
                respond to the user's call for emergency 
                services;
                  (B) to inform the user's legal guardian or 
                members of the user's immediate family of the 
                user's location in an emergency situation that 
                involves the risk of death or serious physical 
                harm; or
                  (C) to providers of information or database 
                management services solely for purposes of 
                assisting in the delivery of emergency services 
                in response to an emergency.
  (e) Subscriber List Information.--Notwithstanding subsections 
(b), (c), and (d), a telecommunications carrier that provides 
telephone exchange service shall provide subscriber list 
information gathered in its capacity as a provider of such 
service on a timely and unbundled basis, under 
nondiscriminatory and reasonable rates, terms, and conditions, 
to any person upon request for the purpose of publishing 
directories in any format.
  (f) Authority To Use Wireless Location Information.--For 
purposes of subsection (c)(1), without the express prior 
authorization of the customer, a customer shall not be 
considered to have approved the use or disclosure of or access 
to--
          (1) call location information concerning the user of 
        a commercial mobile service (as such term is defined in 
        section 332(d)), other than in accordance with 
        subsection (d)(4); or
          (2) automatic crash notification information to any 
        person other than for use in the operation of an 
        automatic crash notification system.
  (g) Subscriber Listed and Unlisted Information for Emergency 
Services.--Notwithstanding subsections (b), (c), and (d), a 
telecommunications carrier that provides telephone exchange 
service or IP-enabled voice service provider shall provide 
information described in subsection (i)(3)(A) (including 
information pertaining to subscribers whose information is 
unlisted or unpublished) that is in its possession or control 
(including information pertaining to subscribers of other 
carriers) on a timely and unbundled basis, under 
nondiscriminatory and reasonable rates, terms, and conditions 
to providers of emergency services, and providers of emergency 
support services, solely for purposes of delivering or 
assisting in the delivery of emergency services.
  (h) Notice of Violations.--
          (1) In general.--The Commission shall by regulation 
        require each telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled 
        voice service provider to notify a customer within 14 
        calendar days after the carrier or provider is notified 
        of, or becomes aware of, an incident in which customer 
        proprietary network information relating to such 
        customer was disclosed to someone other than the 
        customer in violation of this section or section 2 of 
        the Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act.
          (2) Law enforcement and homeland security related 
        delays.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a 
        telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice service 
        provider may delay the required notification for a 
        reasonable period of time if--
                  (A) a Federal or State law enforcement agency 
                determines that giving notice within the 14-day 
                period would materially impede a civil or 
                criminal investigation; or
                  (B) a Federal national security agency or the 
                Department of Homeland Security determines that 
                giving notice within the 14-day period would 
                threaten national or homeland security.
  [(h)] (i) Definitions.--As used in this section:
          (1) Customer proprietary network information.--The 
        term ``customer proprietary network information'' 
        means--
                  (A) information that relates to the quantity, 
                technical configuration, type, destination, 
                location, and amount of use of a 
                telecommunications service or IP-enabled voice 
                service subscribed to by any customer of a 
                telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice 
                service provider, and that is made available to 
                the carrier or provider by the customer solely 
                by virtue of the carrier-customer or provider-
                customer relationship; and
                  (B) information contained in the bills 
                pertaining to [telephone exchange service or 
                telephone toll service] telephone exchange 
                service, telephone toll service, or IP-enabled 
                voice service received by a customer of a 
                carrier or provider;
        except that such term does not include subscriber list 
        [information.] information nor does it include 
        information that is related to non-voice service 
        features bundled with IP-enabled voice service.
          (2) Aggregate information.--The term ``aggregate 
        customer information'' means collective data that 
        relates to a group or category of services or 
        customers, from which individual customer identities 
        and characteristics have been removed.
          (3) Subscriber list information.--The term 
        ``subscriber list information'' means any information--
                  (A) identifying the listed names of 
                subscribers of a carrier or provider and such 
                subscribers' telephone numbers, addresses, or 
                primary advertising classifications (as such 
                classifications are assigned at the time of the 
                establishment of such service), or any 
                combination of such listed names, numbers, 
                addresses, or classifications; and
                  (B) that the carrier or provider or an 
                affiliate has published, caused to be 
                published, or accepted for publication in any 
                directory format.
          (4) Public safety answering point.--The term ``public 
        safety answering point'' means a facility that has been 
        designated to receive emergency calls and route them to 
        emergency service personnel.
          (5) Emergency services.--The term ``emergency 
        services'' means 9-1-1 emergency services and emergency 
        notification services.
          (6) Emergency notification services.--The term 
        ``emergency notification services'' means services that 
        notify the public of an emergency.
          (7) Emergency support services.--The term ``emergency 
        support services'' means information or data base 
        management services used in support of emergency 
        services.
          (8) IP-enabled voice service.--The term ``IP-enabled 
        voice service'' means the provision of real-time 2-way 
        voice communications offered to the public, or such 
        classes of users as to be effectively available to the 
        public, transmitted through customer premises equipment 
        using TCP/IP protocol, or a successor protocol, for a 
        fee (whether part of a bundle of services or 
        separately) with interconnection capability such that 
        the service can originate traffic to, or terminate 
        traffic from, the public switched telephone network.
  (j) Wireless Consumer Privacy Protection.--
          (1) In general.--A provider of commercial mobile 
        services, or any direct or indirect affiliate or agent 
        of such a provider, may not include the wireless 
        telephone number information of any subscriber in any 
        wireless directory assistance service database unless 
        the mobile service provider--
                  (A) provides a conspicuous, separate notice 
                to the subscriber informing the subscriber of 
                the right not to be listed in any wireless 
                directory assistance service; and
                  (B) obtains express prior authorization for 
                listing from such subscriber, separate from any 
                authorization obtained to provide such 
                subscriber with commercial mobile service, or 
                any calling plan or service associated with 
                such commercial mobile service, and such 
                authorization has not been subsequently 
                withdrawn.
          (2) Cost-free de-listing.--A provider of commercial 
        mobile services, or any direct or indirect affiliate or 
        agent of such a provider, shall remove the wireless 
        telephone number information of any subscriber from any 
        wireless directory assistance service database upon 
        request by that subscriber and without any cost to the 
        subscriber.
          (3) Publication of directories prohibited.--A 
        provider of commercial mobile services, or any direct 
        or indirect affiliate or agent of such a provider, may 
        not publish, in printed, electronic, or other form, or 
        sell or otherwise disseminate, the contents of any 
        wireless directory assistance service database, or any 
        portion or segment thereof unless the mobile service 
        provider--
                  (A) provides a conspicuous, separate notice 
                to the subscriber informing the subscriber of 
                the right not to be listed; and
                  (B) obtains express prior authorization for 
                listing from such subscriber, separate from any 
                authorization obtained to provide such 
                subscriber with commercial mobile service, or 
                any calling plan or service associated with 
                such commercial mobile service, and such 
                authorization has not been subsequently 
                withdrawn.
          (4) No consumer fee for retaining privacy.--A 
        provider of commercial mobile services may not charge 
        any subscriber for exercising any of the rights 
        described under this subsection.
          (5) State and local laws pre-empted.--To the extent 
        that any State or local government imposes requirements 
        on providers of commercial mobile services, or any 
        direct or indirect affiliate or agent of such 
        providers, that are inconsistent with the requirements 
        of this subsection, this subsection preempts such State 
        or local requirements.
          (6) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                  (A) Wireless telephone number information.--
                The term ``wireless telephone number 
                information'' means the telephone number, 
                electronic address, and any other identifying 
                information by which a calling party may reach 
                a subscriber to commercial mobile services, and 
                which is assigned by a commercial mobile 
                service provider to such subscriber, and 
                includes the name and address of such 
                subscriber.
                  (B) Wireless directory assistance service.--
                The term ``wireless directory assistance 
                service'' means any service for connecting 
                calling parties to a subscriber of commercial 
                mobile service when such calling parties 
                themselves do not possess the wireless 
                telephone number information of such 
                subscriber.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


SEC. 503. FORFEITURES IN CASES OF REBATES AND OFFSETS.

                            [47 U.S.C. 503]

  (a) Any person who shall deliver messages for interstate or 
foreign transmission to any carrier, or for whom as sender or 
receiver, any such carrier shall transmit any interstate or 
foreign wire or radio communication, who shall knowingly by 
employee, agent, officer, or otherwise, directly or indirectly, 
by or through any means or device whatsoever, receive or accept 
from such common carrier any sum of money or any other valuable 
consideration as a rebate or offset against the regular charges 
for transmission of such messages as fixed by the schedules of 
charges provided for in this Act, shall in addition to any 
other penalty provided by this Act forfeit to the United States 
a sum of money three times the amount of money so received or 
accepted and three times the value of any other consideration 
so received or accepted, to be ascertained by the trial court; 
and in the trial of said action all such rebates or other 
considerations so received or accepted for a period of six 
years prior to the commencement of the action, may be included 
therein, and the amount recovered shall be three times the 
total amount of money, or three times the total value of such 
consideration, so received or accepted, or both, as the case 
may be.
  (b)(1) Any person who is determined by the Commission, in 
accordance with paragraph (3) or (4) of this subsection, to 
have--
          (A) willfully or repeatedly failed to comply 
        substantially with the terms and conditions of any 
        license, permit, certificate, or other instrument or 
        authorization issued by the Commission;
          (B) willfully or repeatedly failed to comply with any 
        of the provisions of this Act or of any rule, 
        regulation, or order issued by the Commission under 
        this Act or under any treaty, convention, or other 
        agreement to which the United States is a party and 
        which is binding upon the United States;
          (C) violated any provision of section 317(c) or 
        508(a) of this Act; or
          (D) violated any provision of section 1304, 1343, or 
        1464 of title 18, United States Code;
shall be liable to the United States for a forfeiture penalty. 
A forfeiture penalty under this subsection shall be in addition 
to any other penalty provided for by this Act; except that this 
subsection shall not apply to any conduct which is subject to 
forfeiture under title II, part II or III of title III, or 
section 506 of this Act.
  (2)(A) If the violator is (i) a broadcast station licensee or 
permittee, (ii) a cable television operator, or (iii) an 
applicant for any broadcast or cable television operator 
license, permit, certificate, or other instrument or 
authorization issued by the Commission, the amount of any 
forfeiture penalty determined under this section shall not 
exceed $25,000 for each violation or each day of a continuing 
violation, except that the amount assessed for any continuing 
violation shall not exceed a total of $250,000 for any single 
act or failure to act described in paragraph (1) of this 
subsection.
  (B) If the violator is a common carrier subject to the 
provisions of this Act or an applicant for any common carrier 
license, permit, certificate, or other instrument of 
authorization issued by the Commission, the amount of any 
forfeiture penalty determined under this subsection shall not 
exceed $100,000 for each violation or each day of a continuing 
violation, except that the amount assessed for any continuing 
violation shall not exceed a total of $1,000,000 for any single 
act or failure to act described in paragraph (1) of this 
subsection.
  (C) In any case not covered in subparagraph (A) or (B), the 
amount of any forfeiture penalty determined under this 
subsection shall not exceed $10,000 for each violation or each 
day of a continuing violation, except that the amount assessed 
for any continuing violation shall not exceed a total of 
$75,000 for any single act or failure to act described in 
paragraph (1) of this subsection.
  (D) The amount of such forfeiture penalty shall be assessed 
by the Commission, or its designee, by written notice. In 
determining the amount of such a forfeiture penalty, the 
Commission or its designee shall take into account the nature, 
circumstances, extent, and gravity of the violation and, with 
respect to the violator, the degree of culpability, any history 
of prior offenses, ability to pay, and such other matters as 
justice may require.
  (3)(A) At the discretion of the Commission, a forfeiture 
penalty may be determined against a person under this 
subsection after notice and an opportunity for a hearing before 
the Commission or an administrative law judge thereof in 
accordance with section 554 of title 5, United States Code. Any 
person against whom a forfeiture penalty is determined under 
this paragraph may obtain review thereof pursuant to section 
402(a).
  (B) If any person fails to pay an assessment of a forfeiture 
penalty determined under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, 
after it has become a final and unappealable order or after the 
appropriate court has entered final judgment in favor of the 
Commission, the Commission shall refer the matter to the 
Attorney General of the United States, who shall recover the 
amount assessed in any appropriate district court of the United 
States. In such action, the validity and appropriateness of the 
final order imposing the forfeiture penalty shall not be 
subject to review.
  (4) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, 
no forfeiture penalty shall be imposed under this subsection 
against any person unless and until--
          (A) the Commission issues a notice of apparent 
        liability, in writing, with respect to such person;
          (B) such notice has been received by such person, or 
        until the Commission has sent such notice to the last 
        known address of such person, by registered or 
        certified mail; and
          (C) such person is granted an opportunity to show, in 
        writing, within such reasonable period of time as the 
        Commission prescribes by rule or regulation, why no 
        such forfeiture penalty should be imposed.
Such a notice shall (i) identify each specific provision, term, 
and condition of any Act, rule, regulation, order, treaty, 
convention, or other agreement, license, permit, certificate, 
instrument, or authorization which such person apparently 
violated or with which such person apparently failed to comply; 
(ii) set forth the nature of the act or omission charged 
against such person and the facts upon which such charge is 
based; and (iii) state the date on which such conduct occurred. 
Any forfeiture penalty determined under this paragraph shall be 
recoverable pursuant to section 504(a) of this Act.
  (5) No forfeiture liability shall be determined under this 
subsection against any person, if such person does not hold a 
license, permit, certificate, or other authorization issued by 
the Commission, and if such person is not an applicant for a 
license, permit, certificate, or other authorization issued by 
the Commission, unless, prior to the notice required by 
paragraph (3) of this subsection or the notice of apparent 
liability required by paragraph (4) of this subsection, such 
person (A) is sent a citation of the violation charged; (B) is 
given a reasonable opportunity for a personal interview with an 
official of the Commission, at the field office of the 
Commission which is nearest to such person's place of 
residence; and (C) subsequently engages in conduct of the type 
described in such citation. The provisions of this paragraph 
shall not apply, however, if the person involved is engaging in 
activities for which a license, permit, certificate, or other 
authorization is required, or is a cable television system 
operator, if the person involved is transmitting on frequencies 
assigned for use in a service in which individual station 
operation is authorized by rule pursuant to section 307(e), or 
in the case of violations of section 303(q), if the person 
involved is a nonlicensee tower owner who has previously 
received notice of the obligations imposed by section 303(q) 
from the Commission or the permittee or licensee who uses that 
tower. Whenever the requirements of this paragraph are 
satisfied with respect to a paricular person, such person shall 
not be entitled to receive any additional citation of the 
violation charged, with respect to any conduct of the type 
described in the citation sent under this paragraph.
  (6) No forfeiture penalty shall be determined or imposed 
against any person under this subsection if--
          (A) such person holds a broadcast station license 
        issued under title III of this Act and if the violation 
        charged occurred--
                  (i) more than 1 year prior to the date of 
                issuance of the required notice or notice of 
                apparent liability; or
                  (ii) prior to the date of commencement of the 
                current term of such license,
        whichever is earlier; or
          [(B) such person does not hold a broadcast station 
        license issued under title III of this Act and if the 
        violation charged occurred more than 1 year prior to 
        the date of issuance of the required notice or notice 
        of apparent liability.]
                  (B) such person does not hold a broadcast 
                station license issued under title III of this 
                Act and--
                          (i) the person is charged with 
                        violating section 222 and the violation 
                        occurred more than 2 years prior to the 
                        date of issuance of the required notice 
                        or notice of apparent liability; or
                          (ii) the person is charged with 
                        violating any other provision of this 
                        Act and the violation occurred more 
                        than 1 year prior to the date of 
                        issuance of the required notice or 
                        notice of apparent liability.
For purposes of this paragraph, ``date of commencement of the 
current term of such license'' means the date of commencement 
of the last term of license for which the licensee has been 
granted a license by the Commission. A separate license term 
shall not be deemed to have commenced as a result of continuing 
a license in effect under section 307(c) pending decision on an 
application for renewal of the license.

SEC. 509. PENALTIES FOR CONFIDENTIAL CUSTOMER PROPRIETARY NETWORK 
                    INFORMATION VIOLATIONS.

  (a) Civil Forfeiture.--
          (1) In general.--Any person determined by the 
        Commission, in accordance with paragraphs (3) and (4) 
        of section 503(b), to have violated section 2 of the 
        Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act shall be liable 
        to the United States for a forfeiture penalty. A 
        forfeiture penalty under this subsection shall be in 
        addition to any other penalty provided for by this Act. 
        The amount of the forfeiture penalty determined under 
        this subsection shall not exceed $30,000 for each 
        violation, or 3 times that amount for each day of a 
        continuing violation, except that the amount assessed 
        for any continuing violation shall not exceed a total 
        of $3,000,000 for any single act or failure to act.
          (2) Recovery.--Any forfeiture penalty determined 
        under paragraph (1) shall be recoverable pursuant to 
        section 504(a) of this Act.
          (3) Procedure.--No forfeiture liability shall be 
        determined under paragraph (1) against any person 
        unless such person receives the notice required by 
        section 503(b)(3) or section 503(b)(4) of this Act.
          (4) 2-year statute of limitations.--No forfeiture 
        penalty shall be determined or imposed against any 
        person under paragraph (1) if the violation charged 
        occurred more than 2 years prior to the date of 
        issuance of the required notice or notice or apparent 
        liability.
  (b) Criminal Fine.--Any person who willfully and knowingly 
violates section 2 of the Protecting Consumer Phone Records Act 
shall upon conviction thereof be fined not more than $30,000 
for each violation, or 3 times that amount for each day of a 
continuing violation, in lieu of the fine provided by section 
501 for such a violation. This subsection does not supersede 
the provisions of section 501 relating to imprisonment or the 
imposition of a penalty of both fine and imprisonment.

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


                   PART IV--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SEC. 631. PROTECTION OF SUBSCRIBER PRIVACY.

                            [47 U.S.C. 551]

  (a)(1) At the time of entering into an agreement to provide 
any cable service or other service to a subscriber and at least 
once a year thereafter, a cable operator shall provide notice 
in the form of a separate, written statement to such subscriber 
which clearly and conspicuously informs the subscriber of--
          (A) the nature of personally identifiable information 
        collected or to be collected with respect to the 
        subscriber and the nature of the use of such 
        information;
          (B) the nature, frequency, and purpose of any 
        disclosure which may be made of such information, 
        including an identification of the types of persons to 
        whom the disclosure may be made;
          (C) the period during which such information will be 
        maintained by the cable operator;
          (D) the times and place at which the subscriber may 
        have access to such information in accordance with 
        subsection (d); and
          (E) the limitations provided by this section with 
        respect to the collection and disclosure of information 
        by a cable operator and the right of the subscriber 
        under subsections (f) and (h) to enforce such 
        limitations.
In the case of subscribers who have entered into such an 
agreement before the effective date of this section, such 
notice shall be provided within 180 days of such date and at 
least once a year thereafter.
  (2) For purposes of this section, other than subsection (h)--
          (A) the term ``personally identifiable information'' 
        does not include any record of aggregate data which 
        does not identify particular persons;
          (B) the term ``other service'' includes any wire or 
        radio communications service provided using any of the 
        facilities of a cable operator that are used in the 
        provision of cable service; and
          (C) the term ``cable operator'' includes, in addition 
        to persons within the definition of cable operator in 
        section 602, any person who (i) is owned or controlled 
        by, or under common ownership or control with, a cable 
        operator, and (ii) provides any wire or radio 
        communications service.
  (b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a cable operator 
shall not use the cable system to collect personally 
identifiable information concerning any subscriber without the 
prior written or electronic consent of the subscriber 
concerned.
  (2) A cable operator may use the cable system to collect such 
information in order to--
          (A) obtain information necessary to render a cable 
        service or other service provided by the cable operator 
        to the subscriber; or
          (B) detect unauthorized reception of cable 
        communications.
  (c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a cable operator 
shall not disclose personally identifiable information 
concerning any subscriber without the prior written or 
electronic consent of the subscriber concerned and shall take 
such actions as are necessary to prevent unauthorized access to 
such information by a person other than the subscriber or cable 
operator.
  (2) A cable operator may disclose such information if the 
disclosure is--
          (A) necessary to render, or conduct a legitimate 
        business activity related to, a cable service or other 
        service provided by the cable operator to the 
        subscriber;
          (B) subject to subsection (h), made pursuant to a 
        court order authorizing such disclosure, if the 
        subscriber is notified of such order by the person to 
        whom the order is directed;
          (C) a disclosure of the names and addresses of 
        subscribers to any cable service or other service, if--
                  (i) the cable operator has provided the 
                subscriber the opportunity to prohibit or limit 
                such disclosure, and
                  (ii) the disclosure does not reveal, directly 
                or indirectly, the--
                          (I) extent of any viewing or other 
                        use by the subscriber of a cable 
                        service or other service provided by 
                        the cable operator, or
                          (II) the nature of any transaction 
                        made by the subscriber over the cable 
                        system of the cable operator; or
          (D) to a government entity as authorized under 
        chapters 119, 121, or 206 of title 18, United States 
        Code, except that such disclosure shall not include 
        records revealing cable subscriber selection of video 
        programming from a cable operator.
  (d) A cable subscriber shall be provided access to all 
personally identifiable information regarding that subscriber 
which is collected and maintained by a cable operator. Such 
information shall be made available to the subscriber at 
reasonable times and at a convenient place designated by such 
cable operator. A cable subscriber shall be provided reasonable 
opportunity to correct any error in such information.
  (e) A cable operator shall destroy personally identifiable 
information if the information is no longer necessary for the 
purpose for which it was collected and there are no pending 
requests or orders for access to such information under 
subsection (d) or pursuant to a court order.
  (f)(1) Any person aggrieved by any act of a cable operator in 
violation of this section may bring a civil action in a United 
States district court.
  (2) The court may award--
          (A) actual damages but not less than liquidated 
        damages computed at the rate of $100 a day for each day 
        of violation or $1,000, whichever is higher;
          (B) punitive damages; and
          (C) reasonable attorneys' fees and other litigation 
        costs reasonably incurred.
  (3) The remedy provided by this section shall be in addition 
to any other lawful remedy available to a cable subscriber.
  (g) Nothing in this title shall be construed to prohibit any 
State or any franchising authority from enacting or enforcing 
laws consistent with this section for the protection of 
subscriber privacy.
  (h) Except as provided in subsection (c)(2)(D), a 
governmental entity may obtain personally identifiable 
information concerning a cable subscriber pursuant to a court 
order only if, in the court proceeding relevant to such court 
order--
          (1) such entity offers clear and convincing evidence 
        that the subject of the information is reasonably 
        suspected of engaging in criminal activity and that the 
        information sought would be material evidence in the 
        case; and
          (2) the subject of the information is afforded the 
        opportunity to appear and contest such entity's claim.
  (i) Customer Proprietary Network Information.--This section 
does not apply to customer proprietary network information (as 
defined in section 222(i)(1) of this Act) as it relates to the 
provision of IP-enabled voice service (as defined in section 
222(i)(8) of this Act) by a cable operator to the extent that 
section 222 of this Act and section 2 of the Protecting 
Consumer Phone Records Act applies to such information.

                                  
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