Congressional Leaders Urge FCC To Perform Equity Audit

They want an assessment to "address and redress" the harm the agency’s policies and programs have caused Black and brown communities.

Congressional leaders and a media advocacy group are urging the Federal Communications Commission to examine how policy decisions and programs have disparately harmed Black Americans and other communities of color, according to a letter sent Tuesday to the acting FCC chair. In the letter, first shared with The Associated Press, Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman of New York, Yvette Clarke of New York, and Brenda Lawrence of Michigan along with Media 2070 said the FCC should conduct an assessment to "address and redress" the harm the agency’s policies and programs have caused Black and brown communities and identify the “affirmative steps the agency commits to taking to break down barriers to just media and telecommunication practices." The FCC is an independent governmental agency that is responsible for regulating the nation’s communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.