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NAFCU and a coalition of other trade groups met with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Tuesday to discuss the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the commission's efforts to target illegal robocalls. NAFCU has urged the FCC for more clarity and flexibility so credit unions can contact their members without fear of breaking the law.

The trade groups held their discussion with Patrick Webre, who serves as acting director of the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the FCC, which is the bureau responsible for TCPA issues. NAFCU Regulatory Affairs Counsel Ann Kossachev attended the meeting. The groups discussed the FCC's efforts to tackle TCPA-related issues while the industry waits for a decision from the D.C. Circuit in a lawsuit challenging the FCC's order on TCPA prohibitions on autodialed calls to account holders.

The lawsuit stems from a declaratory ruling and order the FCC issued in July 2015 that provides limited exemptions under the TCPA for financial institutions making prerecorded autodialed calls to consumers. NAFCU has repeatedly told the FCC that the order has led to financial institutions ceasing important communications with members about their accounts over fear of inadvertently violating the rule.

NAFCU entered into the suit in September 2015 and oral arguments were heard in the case in October 2016 in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit; the court could issue a decision at any time.

Kossachev sent a letter to the FCC earlier this year in support of initiatives to allow voice service providers to block unlawful spoofed robocalls. The association sent five other letters to the FCC last year asking for revisions to the TCPA in order to protect financial institutions' ability to communicate with their members about sensitive financial information.

NAFCU also has available a new resource page for credit unions with more information on TCPA reform and NAFCU's efforts.