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Schumer pushes legislation to help end annoying robocalls

Chris Caya/WBFO News

Despite the Do Not Call Registry, Sen. Charles Schumer says local residents have received more than 200 million robocalls since Jan. 1.

At a news conference in Buffalo Monday, Schumer said new legislation is being proposed to help stop the calls. He said the TRACED Act gives federal agencies more tools and authority to trace, prosecute and increase fines against scammers. Carriers that don't block robocalls could lose their license.

"These callers, if there's any one carrier that doesn't do it, they can get in that way and then keep going. So you have to have all the carriers stop it. That's what our legislation would do," Schumer said.

Schumer says there is a lot of "partisan rancor" in Washington, but the annoying calls are an issue that brings everyone together.

"These evil robocallers, they don't pick on just Democrats or just Republicans or just older people or just younger people. They pick on everybody. Everyone across the country is hearing about this. The kind of calls I have gotten to my office is repeated in every corner of America. So, there's a clamor to do it," Schumer said. 

The Senate Minority Leader says he expects the legislation will easily pass Congress.