ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITIEE: 
HEALTH SuBCOMMITTEE 
RANKING MEMBER 
ENVIRONMENT AND THE ECONOMY 
S uBCOMMITTEE 
COMMU NICATIONS AND T ECHNOLOGY 
SUBCOMMITTEE 
NATURAL RESOURCES COM MITIEE: 
FISHERIES, WILDLIFE, OCEANS AND 
INSULAR AFFAIRS SUBCOMMITTEE 
DEMOCRATIC POLICY COMMITIEE: 
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR 
http://www.house.gov/pallone 
FRANK PALLONE, JR. 
6TH DISTRICT, NEW JERSEY 
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Dasbington, 1JB(lC 20515-3006 
December 03, 2014 
The Honorable Tom Wheeler 
Chairman 
Federal Communications Commission 
445 12th Street, SW 
Washington, DC 20554 
Dear Chairman Wheeler, 
RePLY TO: 
WASHINGTON OFFICE: 
0 237 CANNON Ho u se OFFICE BuiLDING 
WASHINGTON, DC 20515-3006 
TeLEPHONE: (202) 225-4671 
DISTRICT O FFICES: 
TOLL-FREE NUMBER: 
(888) 423-1140 
0 504 BROADWAY 
0 
LONG BRANCH, NJ 07740 
(732) 571-1140 
67/69 CHURCH STREET 
KILMER SauARE 
New BRUNSWICK, NJ 08901 
(732) 249-8892 
I write today to express my support for the Federal Communications Commission' s 
recent efforts to achieve fair and reasonable rates for inmate telephone calls. 
The present Inmate Calling Service (ICS) relies on collect calling, pre-paid accounts, and 
long-distance calling, putting an unnecessary financial burden on inmates' families. Inmates 
should be able to remain in contact with their families through more affordable and competitive 
means. The recent FCC proposal- which eliminates all site commission payments on both 
interstate and intrastate calls through the ICS-promotes competition and ensures both 
reasonable rates for the families and fair compensation for providers. 
I believe that the present system is incredibly troubling. For example, an inmate in New 
Jersey, who placed a simple fifteen minute phone call, would be charged roughly $4.95. As these 
costs accumulate over months and years, a growing financial burden is placed on the inmate and 
their family. It is critically important that the FCC examine what costs are truly incurred by 
facilities through the res and whether the current rates appropriately reflect those costs. 
I applaud the FCC for its commitment to reforming these policies that too often 
disproportionately affect detainees with minimal financial resources. Thank you for your 
attention to this important matter. 
't:) (!JL ~K PALLONE, JR. 
Member of Congress 
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