Media Contact: 
Paloma Perez
Paloma.Perez@fcc.gov 

For Immediate Release

CHAIRWOMAN ROSENWORCEL STATEMENT ON NEW LAW ADDRESSING EGREGIOUS PRISON PHONE RATES
Duckworth/Portman Bill Makes Clear the FCC Can Address Intrastate Rates
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WASHINGTON, December 22, 2022—Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel issued the following statement today after the House and Senate passed the Martha Wright-Reed Just and Reasonable Communications Act of 2022 and the legislation now heads to President Biden’s desk for signing:
 
“Too many families of incarcerated people must pay outrageous rates to stay connected with their loved ones.  This harms the families and children of the incarcerated—and it harms all of us because regular contact with kin can reduce recidivism.
 
“The FCC has for years moved aggressively to address this terrible problem, but we have been limited in the extent to which we can address rates for calls made within a state’s borders.  Today, thanks to the leadership of Senators Duckworth, Portman and their bipartisan coalition, the FCC will be granted the authority to close this glaring, painful, and detrimental loophole in our phones rate rules for incarcerated people.
 
“I am committed to working with my colleagues on the Commission to expeditiously move new rules forward to fix this problem.  I also want to highlight the late Martha Wright-Reed for her courageous voice and thank my former colleague Mignon Clyburn for carrying this issue forward at the FCC.”
 
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This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).