On June 6th, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-IL) praised passage of H.R. 5126, The Truth in Caller I.D. Act, which would prohibit "spoofing" or intentional falsification of the name or number that appears on a consumer's caller identification (ID) display - which is very easy to do with an Asterisk server or any VoIP system. The bill passed by a voice vote.

Hastert stated, "House Republicans won't let consumers be hoaxed. Americans have come to rely on the Caller ID information that comes to them every time their phone rings. Criminals can make their scams seem more real if they cause the number that shows up in your home to appear as the same as a legitimate business or charity. Consumers use Caller ID services to protect themselves from unwanted calls and scams; the passage of this bill would ensure that they will be able to do so."

The Truth in Caller ID Act would allow for persons to change the appearance of their phone numbers only if that change accurately represents the person making the phone call.

Is this Republicans trying to ensure consumers don't get duped or is this a ploy to make sure terrorists and government whistleblowers to the press can't evade NSA wiretaps and tracking?