WASHINGTON, D.C. (WNAX) – South Dakota Senator John Thune, chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet, spoke on the Senate floor about the TRACED Act, bipartisan legislation he introduced with Democratic Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts to combat the illegal robocall epidemic.

Thune says everyone has had to deal with the calls.

Thune says they bill ramps up the penalties for making robo calls.

Thune says the bill creates an intergovernmental working group.

The bill has passed the U.S. House and Thune says he hopes to get it through the Senate before the end of the year.