H.R. 5572: Protect Consumers from Phony Phone Charges Act of 2016

114th Congress · introduced 2016-06-23 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2016-06-23 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Protect Consumers from Phony Phone Charges Act of 2016

Plain summary

Protect Consumers from Phony Phone Charges Act of 2016 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to complete a rulemaking proceeding relating to the placing of unauthorized charges on a consumer's telephone bill (commonly referred to as "cramming"). The FCC must consider whether to issue a rule that requires blocking the placement of third-party charges on a consumer's wireline, wireless, or bundled services telephone bill under the criteria it relied upon when it entered into a consent decree relating to cramming with mobile voice and data service providers.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

Protect Consumers from Phony Phone Charges Act of 2016

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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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. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9] reported raising $415,385 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr5572.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr5572 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114