[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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