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Norton Speaks at FCC Session on Perfecting Reforms that Reduce Inmate Call Costs & Contemplates Further Reforms

July 9, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Prison Telecomm Reform Working Group, spoke today before a follow-up panel led by Commissioner Mignon Clyburn at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on the FCC's new Inmate Calling Services (ICS) reform. Norton said it was very rare for a regulatory agency to do a follow-up of its work, such as today's panel of experts who not only looked at the impact of the FCC's ICS reform, but also at additional reforms on inmate calling services.

"Commissioner Mignon Clyburn led this historic reform with great skill, dedication, and professionalism; it has significantly reduced the cost of calls between inmates and their families. Today she showed that she isn't through yet," Norton said. "She has already pulled off major regulatory reform with profound consequences for millions of inmates and their families, and having done that, she is quickly moving to improve on the masterful job she did. Inmates and their families are seeing or will see the consequence of her leadership of the FCC reforms in reduced recidivism and increased public safety."

In February, the FCC reformed interstate ICS rates and practices to curtail exorbitantly high costs to inmates and their families.

At a press conference in April 2013, Norton, along with former returning citizens and their family members, reported on the work of her Prison Telecomm Reform Working Group on the CBC response to the FCC notice of proposed rulemaking to make prison calling rates reasonable. In August, the FCC issued the order after more than a decade of delay.

See Norton's August 2013 press release on the FCC order: https://norton.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/norton-chair-of-cbc-working-group-says-new-phone-rates-critical-to