Commerce Secretary Ross Comment on Interpretation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act

"I am submitting these comments in opposition to the Federal Communication Commission's reconsideration of the Broadnet Declaratory Ruling on behalf of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau (Census Bureau). The Commission correctly decided in Broadnet that Federal agencies and contractors acting on behalf of Federal agencies are not "persons" under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act {TCPA). Any reversal of this decision would adversely affect Federal agencies' ability to perform their critical missions and, in particular, will increase the cost of business to the Government and taxpayers, and could impair the Census Bureau's ability to reach every person as part of the upcoming 2020 Census as is constitutionally required."