Reps Menendez, Matsui, Barragán, and Carter Introduce Legislation Compelling FCC to Re-Establish Communications Equity and Diversity Council

Reps Rob Menendez (D-NJ), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Nanette Barragán (D-CA), and Troy Carter, Sr. (D-LA) introduced the Communications Equity and Diversity Council Act, which would compel the Federal Communications Commission to re-establish the Communications Equity and Diversity Council. Iterations of the CEDC operated under Democratic and Republican Administrations since 2003, worked to make the communications sector more equitable and reduce digital discrimination until Trump FCC Chair Brendan Carr arbitrarily disbanded it in January 2025. The Communications Equity and Diversity Council Act would compel the FCC to restore and codify the CEDC to protect it from future harmful political interference. The CEDC—consisting of not fewer than 30 members—will make recommendations to the FCC, including:

• Advancing equity in access to communication services;
• Assisting historically underserved individuals to benefit from communication services;
• Accelerating the deployment to all communities of affordable and reliable communication services; and
• Helping small businesses, including those owned by historically underserved individuals, into industries relating to communication services; and promoting; a diversity of voices, localism, economic competition, technological advancement, and the public interest, convenience, and necessity.