Welch, Budd Bipartisan Bill to Crack Down on Foreign Robocalls Advances in Commerce Committee

Oct 21, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.)andTed Budd (R-N.C.)today celebrated the advancement of their bipartisanForeign Robocall Elimination Act, legislation that would bring together government and private sector experts to find additional means of eliminating unlawful robocalls placed into the U.S. from abroad.
The Senators’ bill is the first piece of legislation related to robocalls to be advanced by the Senate Commerce Committee since 2020.
“Vermonters receive nearly 3.5 million robocalls every month. And it’s not only our state—folks in red and blue states alike are sick and tired of picking up the phone and wondering if they’re talking to a friend or being scammed. As foreign robocallers step up their efforts to exploit and prey on vulnerable people, we need to do more to combat this unlawful practice and protect Americans from scams,”said Senator Welch. “I’m thankful for the support of the Commerce Committee on this bipartisan legislation and look forward to bringing this bill to the Senate floor.”
“Every single month, millions of Americans are targeted by billions of scam calls attempting to rob them of their security, privacy, and hard-earned dollars, including many from foreign criminals. This needs to stop. Today, my colleagues on the Senate Commerce Committee voted to advance the common-sense legislation I co-authored with Senator Welch to put an end to nefarious foreign scams deceiving the American people. I hope my Senate colleagues will join us and quickly act to pass theForeign Robocall Elimination Actinto law to help put a stop to this exploitation,”said Senator Budd.
According to recent studies, nearly50 millionU.S. adults have reported losing money to an online scam or attack. Additionally, most U.S. adults report receiving scam messages daily or weekly via phone (68%) or text (61%), and41%of U.S. adults (106 million) say a scam email, text, or call led them to give away personal information.
Online scams are also a major threat to national security. Last year alone, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) documented nearly$16 billionin annual losses from internet crime—a33%increase from 2023. Accounting for under-reporting, total fraud-related losses to U.S. consumers exceed$158 billionper year.
TheForeign Robocall Elimination Actbuilds on landmark legislation like theTRACED Actto would create an interagency task force to evaluate foreign robocalls and how best to combat them, with the goal of increasing international cooperation to reduce illegal robocalls. The task force will consist of key representatives from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice (DOJ) and experts in the field of voice service and analytics, telecommunications technology, marketing organizations, and consumer advocates.
Additionally, the task force will help ensure that the DOJ is adequately equipped to address and prosecute criminals behind the influx of foreign robocalls. The bill also extends the FCC’s renewal period for the Industry Traceback Group from one year to three years. That change will help the Traceback Group, established in theTRACED Act, continue its successful work of tracing back the source of unlawful robocalls.
TheForeign Robocall Elimination Actis endorsed by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and USTelecom.
“AARP, which advocates on behalf of more than 100 million Americans age 50 and older, is pleased to endorse theForeign Robocall Elimination Act. This legislation represents a critical next step in protecting Americans from fraudulent and abusive robocalls originating from outside the United States. Older Americans are disproportionately targeted by robocall scams, which often lead to financial loss, identity theft, and emotional distress. These calls not only exploit individuals but also erode trust in telecommunications systems and public institutions. TheForeign Robocall Elimination Actbuilds upon theTRACED Actand addresses this growing threat by convening a task force of government and private sector experts to develop actionable strategies for eliminating harmful foreign robocalls,”said Bill Sweeney,Senior Vice President for Government Affairs,AARP.
“Illegal robocalls are not just a nuisance—they’re a threat to vulnerable Americans and a tool for scammers around the world. Thanks to strong partnerships between the Industry Traceback Group and federal, state, and local law enforcement, we’ve made measurable progress in stopping these bad actors. TheForeign Robocall Elimination Actbuilds on this success to empower industry and law enforcement to use what works to crack down on the bad actors overseas preying on Americans. Big thanks to Senators Budd and Welch for their leadership and commitment to consumer protection,”said Josh Bercu,Senior Vice President,Policy at USTelecom – The Broadband Association and Executive Director,The Industry Traceback Group.
Read and downloadthe full text of theForeign Robocall Elimination Act.
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