# Understanding the Robo COP Act

This bill is about stopping political robocalls from reaching people who don't want them. Right now, if you've signed up for the national "do-not-call" registry to avoid telemarketing calls, you're still legally allowed to receive automated calls from political campaigns, candidates, and organizations pushing political causes. This bill would change that by requiring the Federal Trade Commission to update its rules so that political robocalls must respect the do-not-call list just like regular sales calls do.

The bill specifically targets "politically-oriented recorded message" calls—meaning automated calls where no real person is on the line to speak with you. These are the annoying robocalls that play a pre-recorded message promoting a candidate, asking you to vote a certain way, or requesting donations to a political cause. Under this new rule, if your phone number is on the do-not-call registry, campaigns and political groups would be prohibited from sending these automated messages to you. The only exception would be if you've given them permission to call you.

The Federal Trade Commission would have six months from when the bill becomes law to update the official regulations. This would essentially treat political robocalls the same way we already treat commercial robocalls—both would be blocked for people who've opted out. For most people, this means fewer unwanted calls during election seasons and fewer interruptions from political organizations trying to reach you.

Robo COP Act

Foxx, Virginia

Robo Calls Off Phones Act or the Robo COP Act This bill directs the Federal Trade Commission to revise the do-not-call registry provisions of the Telemarketing Sales Rule to prohibit politically-oriented recorded message telephone calls to numbers listed on that registry. A politically-oriented recorded message telephone call is an outbound telephone call that plays a recorded message that (1) promotes, advertises, campaigns, or solicits donations for or against a political candidate or regarding a political issue; or (2) uses a political candidate's name.