WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently approved a proposal, which was supported by U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Claire McCaskill, to enable telephone companies to do more to block unwanted calls, some of which are scam calls.

Senators Collins and McCaskill recently wrote a letter to FCC Commissioners expressing support for a proposal put forth by Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler clarifying that telephone companies have the ability to block unwanted robocalls without violating the Commission’s “call completion” rules. While the technology to block these calls already exists, phone companies have argued that they lack the legal authority to do so.

The FCC today approved Chairman Wheeler’s proposal, making clear that telephone companies face no legal barriers to allowing consumers to choose to use robocall-blocking technology.

In response to the FCC decision, Senator Collins said, “Far too many Americans can relate to the frustration that results from high volumes of unwanted and disruptive calls. The technology exists to help stop these calls, and phone companies should have the ability to better protect their customers. Today’s FCC decision is good news.”

“The Commission has taken decisive action that dismisses the phone companies’ argument that they can’t help protect consumers from fraudulent and unwanted calls,” Senator McCaskill said, “Now it’s time for the phone companies to step up and do the same, and finally empower consumers with technological choices that match those employed by the folks placing these unwanted calls.”

The Senators, who serve as Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, recently led a hearing to examine the proliferation of unwanted calls and whether the Do Not Call Registry is still effective. In addition, the Senators have introduced a McCaskill-Collins bill that would provide more authority to the FCC to combat Caller ID spoofing and to strengthen penalties for those who generate these calls.