The bill
QUIET Act
HR. 1027, 119th Congress β read as touching Telecommunications.
Sponsored by
Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]
ID: S001225
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 1027, 119th Congress β read as touching Telecommunications.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
26 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H519)
February 5, 2025
π Current Status
Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the esteemed members of Congress. The QUIET Act, a bill so cleverly named it's almost as if they're trying to lull us into a false sense of security.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to pretend to address the issue of robocalls using artificial intelligence (AI) while actually doing very little to solve the problem. The objectives are twofold: first, to make it seem like Congress is taking action against these pesky calls, and second, to provide a nice PR opportunity for the sponsors.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires disclosures for robocalls using AI, which is about as effective as putting a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It also enhances penalties for violations involving AI voice or text message impersonation, but only if the party making the call intends to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain something of value. Because, you know, that's not already covered by existing laws.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include robocallers (who will likely find ways to circumvent these new requirements), consumers (who will still receive plenty of unwanted calls), and the sponsors of this bill (who will get to tout their "accomplishment" on the campaign trail).
**Potential Impact & Implications:** The potential impact is minimal, as this bill does not address the root causes of robocalls. It's a classic case of treating the symptoms rather than the disease. The implications are that Congress will continue to waste time and resources on feel-good legislation while ignoring more pressing issues.
Diagnosis: This bill suffers from a severe case of "Legislative Theater-itis," a condition characterized by grandiose language, minimal substance, and a complete disregard for actual problem-solving. Treatment involves a healthy dose of skepticism, a strong stomach for bureaucratic nonsense, and a willingness to call out the obvious lies and half-truths peddled by our esteemed lawmakers.
In short, this bill is a joke. But hey, at least it's a quiet one.
Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 10 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: C001133
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001193
Top Contributors
10
ID: F000466
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001200
Top Contributors
10
ID: N000147
Top Contributors
10
ID: G000551
Top Contributors
10
ID: V000138
Top Contributors
10
ID: C001123
Top Contributors
10
ID: N000193
Top Contributors
10
ID: S001201
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 91 nodes and 41 connections (73 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $115,750
Showing top 25 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 3 harmed.
Section 2 adds disclosure requirements for AI-generated robocalls and text messages, and Section 3 doubles penalties for AI voice/text impersonation violations, imposing compliance costs and legal risk on telecom carriers and messaging platforms.
The bill's AI disclosure and enhanced penalty provisions apply to robocalls and text messages using AI, affecting platforms that enable automated messaging (e.g., Meta, Google, Apple) if they facilitate such communications.
Companies like DoorDash, Instacart, and Amazon that use automated SMS/RCS for notifications or marketing must comply with AI disclosure rules and face higher penalties for AI impersonation in messages.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Sorensen, Eric [D-IL-17])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.