Duckworth Reacts to FCC Chair Needlessly & Politically Delaying Enforcement of Her Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Law that He Once Supported
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) issued the following statement after FCC Chair Brendan Carr announced a unilateral delay in all rules implementing her historic, bipartisan Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act, which Congress required to be implemented by January 5, 2025. Chair Carr previously voted in favor of adopting the legally-required implementation rules last year—the very rules Chair Carr is now refusing to enforce.
“This is yet another illegal hit-job by one of Trump’s henchmen that defies Congress and prioritizes profits over people. It makes no sense to delay rules that the FCC—comprising both Trump and Biden appointees—unanimously adopted after Democrats and Republicans worked together to pass my bill unanimously through Congress. In fact, FCC Chair Brendan Carr himself voted in favor of them. Why? Because this is commonsense policy that seeks to eliminate astronomical prison phone rates, reduce recidivism rates, save taxpayer dollars, bring families closer and make our communities stronger.
“Delaying these rules is a deeply cruel flip-flop by Carr that will once again allow predatory telecommunications corporations to exploit families across the country. It’s unconscionable, and I strongly urge Chair Carr to reconsider his unlawful action.”
Chair Carr’s lawless action is unjust, unreasonable and betrays the good work of his own appointed General Counsel, who was leading an effective and compelling legal defense of the FCC order right up until Chair Carr weakly surrendered to deep-pocketed prison industry interests.
Signed into law in 2022, the Senator’s bipartisan, landmark policy honors the legacy of the late Martha Wright-Reed by completing the mission she began over two decades ago to end egregious prison phone rates that gouged innocent family members and prevented these Americans from regularly communicating with incarcerated loved ones—despite studies indicating that preserving familial relationships helps reduce recidivism rates.
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