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H.R. 740: Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement Act of 2007

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H.R. 740: Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement Act of 2007

110th Congress · introduced 2007-01-31 · Crime and Law Enforcement · Latest: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 173.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2007-01-31 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 1 recorded vote in our records. Latest: House roll call 178 (2007): On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, HR740 (2007-03-21), Passed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 173. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement Act of 2007

Plain summary

Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement Act of 2007 or the PHONE Act of 2007- Amends the federal criminal code to prohibit: (1) using or providing false caller ID information with the intent to wrongfully obtain anything of value (imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to five years) or using or providing such information without authorization and with intent to deceive any person or other entity about the identity of the caller (imposes a fine and/or prison term of up to one year); or (2) attempting or conspiring to do so. Exempts from the prohibitions of this Act: (1) lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activities of a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency or U.S. intelligence agency; or (2) activities relating to witness protection. Provides for forfeiture of property traceable to a violation of this Act or of equipment, software, or other technology used to commit a violation of this Act. Includes fraud and related activity in connection with electronic mail and caller ID spoofing as predicate activities for money laundering.

Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s)), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement Act of 2007

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Reported to Senate with amendment(s))

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] · 9 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 740, Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement (PHONE) Act of 2007 (2007-02-15); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 740, Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement (PHONE) Act of 2007 (2007-02-15); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 740, Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement (PHONE) Act of 2007 (2007-05-29); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 740, Preventing Harassment through Outbound Number Enforcement (PHONE) Act of 2007 (2007-05-29)

Cosponsors on this site

Brad Sherman (D-CA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3] reported raising $882,179 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (1)
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong110-hr740 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110