FCC Delay Causes Gomez's Criticism Over Multilingual WEA Implementation Delay

CARSON, Calif.- In a heated press conference, Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.), joined by FCC member Anna Gomez and Carson City Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes, slammed FCC Chair Brendan Carr for not publishing the implementation requirements for the agency's multilingual Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) rule in the Federal Register. This delay, they claim, could be a matter of life and death, especially for those from immigrant communities.

The blame for this delay is pinned on a regulatory freeze imposed by former President Donald Trump, who, in March 2023, declared English as the official language of the United States. This move, critics argue, has jeopardized the lives of millions who may not fully understand emergency alerts due to language barriers.

The WEA system, designed to disseminate critical information during emergencies, is yet to receive crucial improvements that would make it accessible in multiple languages, including Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. "In crises, every second counts-and every word must be understood," Barragán said, emphasizing the urgency of the matter.

The urgency of the situation was underscored by the false evacuation alert sent out to residents in Los Angeles County during the January wildfires. The technical glitch that caused this chaos was particularly distressing for the 2.5 million residents with limited English proficiency, who were left bewildered and terrified.

Gomez and Davis-Holmes called out Carr's delay as not only bureaucratic but also reckless. "We cannot toy with public safety," Gomez stressed. "It's high time the FCC removed political hurdles to allow this process to advance, so more people can receive life-saving information in their preferred language."

Davis-Holmes was equally vociferous, stating, "When lives are hanging in the balance, there's no excuse for delay. In a diverse city like Carson, our residents must receive nationwide emergency alerts in the language they comprehend. This is a question of equity, safety, and respect."

The trio urged Carr, a Republican, to swiftly publish the implementation requirements to start the 30-month compliance timeline. This, they explained, would require mobile service providers to install alert templates on Americans' phones, automatically translating alerts into the devices' default language.

The push for the multilingual WEA rule has garnered significant support from top Democrats, including the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee's current ranking member, as well as the former and current Chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Congressional Black Caucus. These prominent figures represent communities most affected by language access failures.

The repercussions of the delay can be dire, as immigrants and non-English speakers might miss out on crucial emergency information. The stakes are high, and the call for immediate action is clear: publish the rules, start the 30-month countdown, and save lives.

You can watch the archived livestream of the event here.

[1] The FCC approved WEA rules in October 2023 to allow multilingual alerts. [3] Critics argue that the delay could result in a loss of lives due to language barriers. [5] The delay is attributable to a freeze on new regulations by the White House, affecting the publication of the rule in the Federal Register.

Anna Gomez, an FCC member, and Lula Davis-Holmes, the Carson City Mayor, support Rep. Nanette Barragán's call for FCC Chair Brendan Carr to publish the implementation requirements for the multilingual Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) rule in the Federal Register, arguing that the delay could jeopardize the lives of those from immigrant communities.
In the wake of the false evacuation alert sent out to residents in Los Angeles County, Gomez and Davis-Holmes labelled the delay as not only bureaucratic but also reckless, emphasizing that public safety should not be toyed with.
In a diverse city like Carson, residents must receive nationwide emergency alerts in their understood language, argued Davis-Holmes, stressing the issue of equity and respect.
The trio urged Carr, a Republican, to swiftly publish the implementation requirements to begin the 30-month compliance timeline, which would necessitate mobile service providers to install alert templates automatically translating alerts into the devices' default language.
The push for the multilingual WEA rule has been backed by notable figures such as the Senate Telecommunications Subcommittee's current ranking member, as well as the former and current Chairs of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Congressional Black Caucus, who represent communities most impacted by language access failures.