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For Immediate Release: June 14, 2012
Contact: Rob Thormeyer, 202-898-9382, rthormeyer@naruc.org

State Regulators Applaud Rockefeller Cramming Legislation

WASHINGTON—The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners issued the following statements after Sen. John Rockefeller, chair of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, released the Fair Telephone Billing Act of 2012:

“On behalf of my State regulatory colleagues, I am pleased that Chairman Rockefeller is moving forward on this important consumer issue. Cramming remains a serious concern, as evidenced by the thousands of complaints State utility regulators receive and resolve each year. We have worked with our partners at the federal level to return hundreds of thousands of dollars to consumers in cramming-related cases. Our joint efforts are a prime example of States working hand-in-glove with the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission. Although we are reviewing his bill, Sen. Rockefeller’s legislation appears to add a crucial element to our efforts.”
--NARUC President David Wright of South Carolina

“I applaud Chairman Rockefeller for introducing this legislation. While we are still evaluating the bill, we are pleased that the Chairman is seeking to protect all voice customers from cramming practices. Given the significant advances in voice technologies and services, we must ensure that all consumers, including those of wireline, wireless, and interconnected VoIP services, are protected against bad actors. This legislation seems to strike a good balance as it protects consumers while providing carve-outs for legitimate charges. We look forward to working with Chairman Rockefeller and his colleagues on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee as this bill moves forward.”
--NARUC Committee on Telecommunications Chair John Burke of Vermont

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NARUC is a non-profit organization founded in 1889 whose members include the governmental agencies that are engaged in the regulation of utilities and carriers in the fifty States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. NARUC's member agencies regulate telecommunications, energy, and water utilities. NARUC represents the interests of State public utility commissions before the three branches of the Federal government.

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