[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 195 (Tuesday, November 17, 2020)] [House] [Pages H5831-H5833] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] COMBATING PANDEMIC SCAMS ACT OF 2020 Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6435) to direct the Federal Trade Commission to develop and disseminate information to the public about scams related to COVID-19, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6435 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Combating Pandemic Scams Act of 2020''. SEC. 2. INFORMATION ABOUT SCAMS RELATED TO COVID-19. (a) Dissemination of Information.-- (1) In general.--As expeditiously as possible after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission, in consultation with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Postmaster General, the Chief Postal Inspector, and the Internet Crime Complaint Center, shall develop and disseminate information to the public about scams related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). (2) Requirements.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the Commission shall-- (A) include-- (i) information regarding mail, telemarketing, and internet fraud and illegal [[Page H5832]] robocalls related to COVID-19 that identifies the most common scams; and (ii) information regarding where and how to report instances of scams related to COVID-19, including instructions on how to file a complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency; (B) disseminate information under such paragraph in a manner that prioritizes, and that is easily accessible by and user-friendly to, senior citizens and people with infirmities and disabilities; (C) disseminate information under such paragraph on an internet website of the Commission that serves as a source of information for the public about scams related to COVID-19; and (D) regularly update the information developed and disseminated under such paragraph to keep pace with the changing nature of scams related to COVID-19. (b) Database.--As expeditiously as possible after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, in consultation with State law enforcement agencies, the Director of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and other relevant Federal officials, establish a comprehensive national database, either within or separate from the Consumer Sentinel Network, that tracks instances of scams related to COVID-19. (c) Commission Defined.--In this section, the term ``Commission'' means the Federal Trade Commission. SEC. 3. 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. 6435. 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. 6435, the Combating Pandemic Scams Act. This bipartisan bill was introduced by Representatives Carter, Kuster, Hudson, and Blunt Rochester. I thank them for introducing this measure to help stem the tide of scams and fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, the Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Commerce held a hearing on increased risks during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that hearing, we heard about all the ways scammers are taking advantage of the ongoing national emergency for personal gain. Whether phishing for stimulus checks or fundraising for fake charities, scammers are exploiting Americans already struggling financially and diverting resources away from where they could provide desperately needed help. One new scam that has emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic is the contact tracing scam. This scam, which involves fraudsters posing as contact tracers from public health departments, is exacerbating the public health crisis by undermining one of the most effective tools we have to keep communities safe. Instead of documenting the spread of the virus or alerting those who might have been exposed, these scammers are only interested in duping Americans into turning over sensitive personal information or downloading malicious software on their device. H.R. 6435 will establish a comprehensive national database of scams related to COVID-19 so that the public can differentiate the real contact tracers from the imposters and learn how to identify other scams on their own. It will also require the Federal Trade Commission to inform the public about mail, telemarketing, and internet scams related to COVID-19, including how to report such scams to the appropriate agency. Mr. Speaker, as the pandemic continues, we will continue to see more scams unfold, unfortunately. But this bill will make sure that the American public is regularly updated about scams so they can protect themselves and their loved ones. Mr. Speaker, this is an important bill. It is going to protect consumers during this pandemic, and I call on all of my colleagues to support it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6435, the Combating Pandemic Scams Act of 2020. I thank Representative Buddy Carter from Georgia, along with Representatives Kuster, Blunt Rochester, and Hudson, for their work and their leadership on, again, another bipartisan piece of legislation. As we all know, we are in the midst of this horrible pandemic. COVID- 19 has forced millions of Americans to isolate and rely on the internet to work, learn, receive healthcare, stay connected to loved ones, and so much more. Unfortunately, bad actors come out of the gutters wherever they live to seek to exploit times of crisis and target our most vulnerable. During this pandemic, we have seen scammers attempt to exploit consumer fear and confusion by falsely promising additional stimulus checks, illegitimate lifesaving medications, and fake avenues to save businesses or pay employees--all scams. H.R. 6435 aims to protect Americans, especially senior citizens and people with disabilities, from malicious and deceptive scams. The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to prioritize informing the most vulnerable among us about mail, telemarketing, and internet scams, all related to COVID-19. Importantly, the bill would provide Americans with the tools they need to educate and protect themselves against these very scams. This legislation will be even more important as we work together to ensure that the COVID vaccine is delivered in a safe and timely fashion. Mr. Speaker, I am glad to see H.R. 6435 under consideration today. I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Hampshire (Ms. Kuster), the sponsor of the bill. Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6435, the Combating Pandemic Scams Act of 2020. Mr. Speaker, I was proud to help introduce this bipartisan bill with my colleague Buddy Carter in April, and I appreciate the support of our colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle. I would like to take a moment to commend Buddy for his leadership on this important topic. During these challenging times for our country, I have constantly been impressed by Americans' commitment to helping their neighbors pull through this crisis. Sadly, where many see an opportunity to lend a helping hand, others see a chance to make a quick buck. Scammers have posed as medical researchers, offering opportunities to participate in clinical trials. They have attempted to sell nonexistent PPE. They have even tried to trick seniors into buying fake COVID-19 test kits. These shameful acts must not only be condemned, but Congress must take action to crack down on these scams and inform the American people of these devious efforts. Our bipartisan legislation will help stop COVID scams by directing Federal agencies and departments to inform Americans about these criminal schemes so they can stay alert and keep themselves safe. By aggregating data and providing the public with information on mail, telemarketing, and robocall fraud schemes, Americans can defend themselves and their families. Mr. Speaker, this bill is an important step forward, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter), the coauthor of the bill who has been very active on many of these pieces of legislation. Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of my legislation, H.R. 6435, because of the positive impact it will have on the American people. [[Page H5833]] It has been no surprise that we have seen a rise in fraud and criminal activity as the Nation grapples with the pandemic response. In these difficult times, scammers have sought to take advantage of our fellow Americans. Whether it is elderly individuals being preyed upon by financial scammers or people ordering fake health products, there has been a number of scams facing our constituents. That is why I introduced the Combating Pandemic Scams Act with my good friend, Congresswoman Kuster, to address this issue. This bill would direct the FTC, along with other Federal partners, to disseminate information about these scams to the public to better protect themselves. That information would be user-friendly, ensuring vulnerable populations, such as senior citizens and those with disabilities, would have the same amount of access. Ensuring people have the most up-to-date information on how to protect themselves is critical to getting through these trying times. Federal agencies, such as the FTC, have been very active in going after these offenders who have targeted Americans during this pandemic. This bill will support those Federal efforts and help prepare Americans to help protect themselves from these scams. The bottom line is, this is commonsense legislation to go after the people preying on our neighbors and communities. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their bipartisan support of this legislation and the committee staff for their work on getting this across the finish line. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this legislation. {time} 1445 Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky), the chair of the subcommittee. Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Speaker, here we have another great bipartisan bill that has come out of the committee I am so proud to chair, the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I thank the authors of the legislation: Representatives Carter, Hudson, Kuster, and Blunt Rochester. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a time of confusion and fear for many Americans, and scammers have noticed. Fraudsters have tried to steal stimulus checks and trick consumers with fake medical treatments and even vaccines. Seniors and those with disabilities are especially vulnerable. This legislation will protect American consumers, especially our most vulnerable, by increasing public awareness of COVID-19 scams. It directs the Federal Trade Commission to develop and disseminate information to the public about scams related to COVID-19. The FTC will also create a comprehensive national database that tracks the COVID-19 scams in consultation with the Attorney General and the HHS Secretary. This database will protect American consumers from malicious scams. Consumers will be armed with information about the pandemic scams and how to avoid those scams. So we must act now to prevent further harm to American consumers. Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their work on this legislation. I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I also urge support for the bill, and 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. 6435, as amended. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________