Skip navigation
The Habeas Citebook: Prosecutorial Misconduct - Header

U.S. Congress - Ellison-Rush FCC Prison Phone Rate Cap Letter, 2017

Download original document:
Brief thumbnail
This text is machine-read, and may contain errors. Check the original document to verify accuracy.
Qtnugrcez of liFt lIlnilcb ~lalca
3lNas1~htgtnn, 9DGt 20515
February 16, 2017
The Honorable Ajit Pai
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Chairman Pai:
We write to express our disappointment with the decision made by the FCC to end the
defense of intrastate rate caps for incarcerated individuals.
Prior to the caps on prison phone rates, making calls to loved ones was a financial burden
for many Americans who are paying upwards of $1.50 per minute. Most families depend
on these phone calls to maintain the vital relationships their incarcerated loved ones will
depend on when they are released. In fact, 70 percent of incarcerated people kept in
contact with their loved ones over the phone, rather than in person.’
In 2012, the FCC placed a limit on what companies could charge for interstate phone
calls. However, this limit does not apply for phone calls made within a state, intrastate
calls, which can still be too high and represent the bulk of phone calls made from
correctional facilities. Capping rates for calls within a state is an essential piece in fixing
our nation’s broken incarceration system.
Evidence suggests that greater connection to family and loved ones leads to lower rates of
recidivism. Maintaining access to telecommunication is particularly important for
millions of American families as of 2015, 2.7 million children in the United States have
an incarcerated parent.2
Affordable phone calls are important for keeping our families strong and our
communities safe. We urge you and Commissioner O’Reilly to reconsider your decision
on this matter.
Sincerely,

eta

Keith Ellison
Member of Congress

Bobby Rush
Member of Congress

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

/
V

_114A
a
Don Beyer
Member of Congris

-

Su /e Bonamici
Member of Congress

Qln&

/
Judy Chu
Member of Congress

e Clarke
Member of Congress

S ye Cohen
Member of Congress

Elijar/l. Cummings
Me ‘er of Congress

a

4

-

I

qLa4cw

/
—‘-‘

Danny ~ I avis
Member of Congress

A
/
Luis V. Gut rez
Member of Congress

“4

-.

ewis
‘er of Congress

—a

/

/
Hakeem Jeifries ~‘
Member of Congress

tI__
Barbara Lee
Member of Congress

N.
~.

_d

M. G alva
Member of Congre

fit—
Ro Khanna
Member of Congress

I

-

~mes P. McGovern
Member of Congress

a

/

a
V

Jerry

0

c e~j
.~Fbngress

—

Cedric L. Richmond
Member of Congress

at

_

~j/ss__’

Gwen Moor-a
Member of Con:ress

‘

Mark Pocan
Member of Cong~ess

40~

~.è’AsL_t

a~
ie Raskin
mber of Congress

Jof E. Serrano
mber of Congress

..at~.

Schakowsky
-mber of Congress

V

I

arkTakano

F

Member of Congress

-‘-a-a

Bonnie Watson Coleman
Member of Congress

CC:

hn Yarmuth
ember of Co

ress

Mignon Clybum, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission
Michael O’Reilly, Commissioner, Federal Communications Commission

[1] https:ffecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/1 0113804521 853/Comments%2Oof%20ICS%2oAdvocates
%20-%2OAs%2oSubmitted.pdf
[2] https://www.prisonpolicyorg/reports/prisonvisitshtml

 

 

Prisoner Education Guide side
Advertise here
Federal Prison Handbook - Side