Washington, DC — Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and 21 other members of Congress called on the Federal Communications Commission to closely scrutinize Teleperformance/ZP Better Together’s application for certification to provide Video Relay Service, an essential program that ensures Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard-of-Hearing people have equal access to telecommunications services. VRS is funded through the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) Fund, which all Americans pay into through their phone bills.

“We’ve spent the last year organizing with our fellow interpreters to ensure VRS is the service that it needs to be, not a vehicle for corporate profits,” said Felix Reyes, a Teleperformance VRS interpreter from New York City. “The Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Hard-of-Hearing communities deserve interpreters who are adequately trained, have reasonable breaks and meaningful professional development opportunities, including from working with Deaf interpreters. We applaud Rep. Schakowsky and her colleagues for calling on the FCC to hold them accountable.”

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(Washington, D.C., Feb. 26, 2025) – Today, Representative Greg Casar (D-TX), interpreter members of the ASL Interpreters Union-OPEIU and allies spoke in front of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address the significant decline of service quality in Video Relay Service (VRS), an essential service ensuring the Deaf, Hard-of-Hearing and Deaf-Blind communities have functionally equivalent service under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Working closely with VRS  interpreters, Rep. Casar sent a letter to the FCC urging the agency to act on its duty to regulate VRS. In response, Commissioner Anna Gomez has agreed to attend a first-of-its-kind public forum for VRS interpreters and Deaf users to share their stories directly with FCC officials.

“When unions organize and fight, and when these interpreters fight against the billionaires taking over your economy and your government, they’re not doing it just for themselves. They’re doing it for all of us,” Rep. Casar said at the press event. “Even though they may have all this money, we actually have power.”

**Members of the press are encouraged to attend**

Join Us

The ASL Interpreters Union-OPEIU is inviting allied organizations, labor unions, worker coalitions, Deaf community groups, students, elected officials and others to join this rare opportunity to hear from both VRS interpreters and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing people who use VRS every day. Please gather with us outside the FCC at 8:45 a.m. ET on Wed., Feb. 26 and show support for interpreters and Deaf community members. We ask attendees to wear blue.

When
Wed., Feb. 26
9 a.m. ET

Where
In front of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
45 L St NE, Washington, DC 20554

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/asliu-press-conference?source=direct_link&