Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
Latest action · Jun 24, 2010 Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Progress
Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.
- IntroducedNov 3, 2009
- Passed HouseJun 23, 2010
- Passed SenateNot reached
- To the PresidentNot reached
- Became lawNot reached
Summary
Calling Card Consumer Protection Act - (Sec. 3) Requires providers or distributors of prepaid calling cards, including cards that use interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or a successor protocol, to accurately disclose in a clear and conspicuous manner information about: (1) the provider's name, customer service number, and hours of service; (2) the card's number of minutes or dollar value; (3) per minute rates or a toll-free number to obtain rates; (4) fees and charges; (5) time period limits, any predetermined decrease in value over a period of time, and expiration dates; and (6) refund and recharge policies.
Prohibits false, misleading, or deceptive disclosures on any calling card, packaging, advertisement, or related promotional material.
Requires disclosures to be clear and conspicuous and located on the prepaid calling card unless the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) determines otherwise.
(Sec. 4) Treats a violation as an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act and requires the FTC to enforce this Act.
(Sec. 5) Authorizes a state to enforce the provisions of this Act through a civil action to: (1) enjoin a practice; (2) enforce compliance; (3) obtain damage, restitution, or other compensation; or (4) obtain other appropriate relief.
Requires a state before bringing such an action to provide the FTC with written notice and a copy of the complaint (unless the provision of notice is not feasible). Authorizes the FTC to intervene in any such action, which shall include the right to: (1) be heard with respect to any matter that arises in the action; (2) remove the action to U.S. district court; and (3) petition for appeal.
(Sec. 6) Applies the provisions of this Act, beginning 180 days after the date on which final regulations are promulgated, to: (1) any prepaid calling card issued or placed into the stream of commerce; and (2) any related advertising, promotion, point-of-sale material, or voice prompt.
(Sec. 7) Prohibits a state, after the date on which final regulations are promulgated, from establishing or continuing any law regarding disclosures to be printed on prepaid calling cards or packaging unless such requirements are identical to the requirements under this Act.
(Sec. 8) Requires studies and reports to Congress by: (1) the Comptroller General on the effectiveness of this Act and its required disclosures; and (2) the FTC on the extent to which the business practices of the prepaid calling card industry exist in the prepaid wireless industry.
Recorded votes 1
Newest first. Open one to see how every member voted.
| Roll call | Question | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| House 383 | On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended | Passed381–41 | Jun 23, 2010 |
Cosponsors 2
Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jan 29, 2010 to May 7, 2010.
| Seat | Cosponsor | Signed on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| R-IN | Dan Burton | Jan 29, 2010 | |
| D-MA | Niki Tsongas | May 7, 2010 |
Committees 2
Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.
| Chamber | Committee | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| House | Energy and Commerce Committee | Referred Nov 3, 2009Markup May 5, 2010Reported Jun 15, 2010 |
| Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee | Referred Nov 4, 2009Hearings Dec 3, 2009Markup Mar 24, 2010Reported Mar 24, 2010 | |
| Senate | Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee | Referred Jun 24, 2010 |
Actions 18
Everything that happened, newest first.
- Jun 24, 2010Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Jun 23, 2010Ms. Matsui moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Jun 23, 2010Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H4698-4701)
- Jun 23, 2010DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 3993.
- Jun 23, 2010At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
- Jun 23, 2010Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4731-4732)
- Jun 23, 2010Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 381 - 41 (Roll no. 383). (text: CR H4698-4700)
- Jun 23, 2010Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Jun 15, 2010Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 111-507.
- Jun 15, 2010Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 290.
- May 5, 2010Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- May 5, 2010Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
- Mar 24, 2010Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
- Mar 24, 2010Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote .
- Dec 3, 2009Subcommittee Hearings Held.
- Nov 4, 2009Referred to the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection.
- Nov 3, 2009Introduced in House
- Nov 3, 2009Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
In the Congressional Record 2
Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.
| Where | In the Record | Members | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extensions | Debate and remarks E1189, E1201 | Betty Sutton D-OH, Janice D. Schakowsky D-IL | Jun 24, 2010 |
| House | Debate and remarks H4698–H4701Text printed H4698–H4700Recorded votes H4731enact | Dan Burton R-IN, Doris O. Matsui D-CA, Ed Whitfield R-KY, Eliot L. Engel D-NY | Jun 23, 2010 |
Research
What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.
Committee report
Congressional Budget Office cost estimates 2
- Jun 7, 2010H.R. 3993, Calling Card Consumer Protection Act<p>Cost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on May 5, 2010</p>
- Jun 7, 2010H.R. 3993, Calling Card Consumer Protection ActCost estimate for the bill as ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on May 5, 2010
Printed hearings 1
Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.
| Number | Hearing | Committee | Held |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serial No. 111-86 | H.R. 3993, THE CALLING CARD CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT OF 2009117 pages | Energy and Commerce Committee | Dec 3, 2009 |
Related bills 1
Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.
| Bill | Title | Relationship | Latest action |
|---|---|---|---|
| S 562 | Prepaid Calling Card Consumer Protection Act of 2009 | Related bill | Mar 10, 2009 |
Titles 4
Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.
- Official Title as Introduced
- To require accurate and reasonable disclosure of the terms and conditions of prepaid telephone calling cards and services.
- Short Titles as Introduced
- Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
- Short Titles as Reported to House
- Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
- Short Titles as Passed House
- Calling Card Consumer Protection Act
Subjects
Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications.
- Administrative law and regulatory procedures
- Civil actions and liability
- Consumer affairs
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Government studies and investigations
- Internet and video services
- Internet, web applications, social media
- Judicial procedure and administration
- Marketing and advertising
- Science, Technology, Communications
- State and local government operations
- Telephone and wireless communication
- User charges and fees
Text 4
Each version as it was printed, newest first.
- Jun 24, 2010Referred in Senate
- Jun 23, 2010Engrossed in House
- Jun 15, 2010Reported in House
- Nov 3, 2009Introduced in House
Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.
