Incarcerated people and their loved ones deserve to stay connected. Period.
Prison telecom corporations like Securus, owned by Aventiv Technologies, and ViaPath Technologies (formerly GTL) charge families as much as $1 a minute for phone calls. They are extracting wealth from Black families who simply want to speak to loved ones. That is why we are calling on the U.S. House of Representatives to co-sponsor and pass the Martha Wright Act. This bill would require the Federal Communications Commission to regulate how much prisons and jails can charge incarcerated people and their families for these phone calls.
In March, The Washington Post editorial board urged Congress to pass phone justice legislation, and the bill moved forward in an important Senate committee. That means this bill is one step closer to getting a vote on the Senate floor.
It also means we need to get as many members of the House to co-sponsor and pass this phone justice bill. With a few months left before midterm elections and so many families hurting, the time to act is NOW.
Families shouldn’t have to make a decision between being able to speak to their incarcerated loved one or paying bills. But that is the harsh reality too many families are facing.
Call your member of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor the Martha Wright Act and to keep families connected. Your member of Congress must hear from constituents like you.
By taking action, we’ll fight for these families and make sure they can speak to their loved ones.
