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Republican: Add political robocalls to ‘Do Not Call' list

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is ready to take on annoying politicians. Foxx introduced a bill this month directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to apply its Do Not Call Registry to the despised phenomenon that candidates of all stripes have come
The Hill
 
By Sara Jerome
 
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is ready to take on annoying politicians. 

Foxx introduced a bill this month directing the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to apply its Do Not Call Registry to the despised phenomenon that candidates of all stripes have come to rely on: the political robocall. 

"We keep telemarketers from bothering us. Why shouldn’t we keep politicians from bothering us?" said Foxx spokesman Aaron Groen.  

The FTC’s registry blocks telemarketers from calling people who add themselves to the list. The same rule does not apply to calls from political candidates, however, automated or otherwise. 

Foxx has worked to curb robocalling ever since her 2004 primary. She said some voters in her district received up to 10 robocalls a day from her opponent during that election. 

Foxx made calls to voters herself and found people were hesitant to talk to her because of all the automated outreach. 

"People were just turned off because they were getting all these robocalls," Groen said. "It turns voters off to the process." 

The bill is "simple and elegant," Groen said, operating on an FTC policy that already exists. 

It's "common sense," he said. 

Foxx also supports a "Do Not Call" registry by the Citizens for Civil Discourse, a project by a nonprofit that collects the names of people who do not want to receive candidate calls. Politicians can volunteer to respect the list. 

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