A Bay Area Congressional representative is trying to crack down on "burner" phones - unregistered pre-paid cellphones that she says are often used by terrorists, human traffickers and drug dealers.

Legislation by U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo, would require pre-paid cellphone retailers to take down customers' basic information like their name, address and date of birth and pass it along to the cellphone provider so law enforcement can obtain it with a warrant.

The information would be verified using a credit card, debit card, social security number, driver's license number, or some other means, according to Speier's office.

"The 'burner phone' loophole is an egregious gap in our legal framework that allows actors like the 9/11 hijackers and the Times Square bomber to evade law enforcement while they plot to take innocent lives," Speier said.

"As we've seen so vividly over the past few days, we cannot afford to take these kinds of risks. It's time to close the 'burner phone' loophole for good," she said.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, introduced similar legislation back in 2010, but the bill never made it to the Senate floor.


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