As President Trump enters his second term with a flurry of executive orders aimed at restoring integrity, sovereignty, and freedom to the American people, one issue remains conspicuously absent from the list: the health and safety of our children in the face of wireless radiation exposure.
One of the most important executive orders yet to be written is one that addresses the catastrophic consequences of Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which has effectively gagged communities, stripped parents of their voice, and left outdated, scientifically invalid FCC guidelines in place. These guidelines—based on thermal-only standards written by industry-friendly insiders in 1996—ignore the overwhelming evidence of non-thermal biological effects and fail to protect the most vulnerable among us: our children.
This is a matter of national urgency. The rates of autism, ADHD, and other developmental disorders have risen sharply over the past two decades, and the timeline aligns disturbingly with the explosion of wireless technology and unchecked exposure to microwave radiation. Scientific studies, like the Yale mouse study and the work of Dr. Martin Pall, have highlighted potential mechanisms linking RF radiation to these neurodevelopmental challenges. Yet the very laws and guidelines meant to safeguard public health have failed spectacularly.
We are calling on President Trump to issue a decisive executive order to:
- Repeal Section 704 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996.
- Launch a full investigation into why Public Law 90-602 (Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act) has not been enforced.
- Mandate an immediate reevaluation of FCC guidelines to reflect modern, independent scientific findings, rather than outdated, industry-driven thermal-only standards.
The 1996 Betrayal: Section 704 and the FCC Guidelines
In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act, a sweeping piece of legislation that aimed to usher in a new era of wireless connectivity. While its promise of innovation and competition was widely celebrated, the Act also carried a ticking time bomb: Section 704, a provision that prohibited local governments from rejecting cell tower applications based on health or environmental concerns.
Section 704: Silencing Communities
Section 704 has had devastating consequences:
- Parents are gagged. In public zoning hearings, citizens cannot raise concerns about cell towers being placed near schools or playgrounds, even if they have credible scientific evidence of harm.
- Local governments are paralyzed. Cities and towns are forced to approve tower permits, no matter how close they are to homes, daycares, or schools.
- Industry profits take priority. Section 704 creates a legal shield for the wireless industry, ensuring that health risks are never part of the conversation.
“Section 704 isn’t just bad policy—it’s unconstitutional. It violates the First Amendment by silencing public discourse on health risks and the Tenth Amendment by stripping states and municipalities of their authority to protect public welfare.”
—John Coates, Founder of RF Safe
The FCC’s Thermal-Only Guidelines: A Safety Standard Without Science
At the same time that Section 704 was passed, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted thermal-only SAR guidelines, which remain in place to this day. These guidelines were not developed by independent scientists, doctors, or engineers but by industry-friendly insiders who ignored decades of evidence showing that non-thermal effects—like DNA damage, oxidative stress, and neurological disruption—can occur at levels far below those that cause heating.
Key flaws in the FCC’s guidelines:
- Thermal-only focus: The guidelines assume harm only occurs if RF radiation heats tissue, despite overwhelming evidence of non-thermal effects.
- Unrealistic testing conditions: Devices are tested under controlled lab conditions that don’t reflect real-world use, like carrying phones in pockets or holding them against the head.
- Outdated science: The guidelines are based on military research from the 1950s and 1960s, focused on preventing thermal burns—not protecting public health from chronic, low-level exposure.
The FCC’s reliance on these flawed guidelines has left Americans, particularly children, unprotected from the cumulative effects of daily exposure to RF radiation.
The Science We Can’t Afford to Ignore
The evidence against thermal-only standards is overwhelming. Here are just a few key studies and findings:
1. Yale’s Mouse Study
Researchers at Yale University exposed pregnant mice to cellphone-level radiation. The offspring exhibited:
- Hyperactivity, poor memory, and ADHD-like symptoms.
- Transgenerational effects, meaning the impact was observed in subsequent generations as well.
This study suggests that RF exposure during critical developmental periods can disrupt brain function in ways that resemble human neurodevelopmental disorders.
2. Dr. Martin Pall’s Research
Dr. Pall’s groundbreaking work shows that RF radiation activates voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in cells, causing:
- An influx of calcium ions, which leads to oxidative stress and inflammation.
- Disruption of critical neural pathways, potentially contributing to autism, ADHD, and other developmental challenges.
3. Rising Rates of Developmental Disorders
The timeline of rising RF exposure aligns closely with the sharp increase in childhood disorders:
- Autism rates: Climbed from 1 in 150 in 1992 to 1 in 36 by 2012.
- ADHD diagnoses: Have more than doubled in the past two decades, now affecting over 6 million children in the U.S.
While these conditions are multifactorial, the contribution of RF radiation cannot be ignored.
4. International Standards and Precautionary Measures
Other countries have taken action to protect children from wireless radiation:
- France: Prohibits Wi-Fi in preschools and requires Wi-Fi to be turned off in elementary schools when not in use.
- India: Enforces strict exposure limits and recommends keeping cell towers away from schools and residential areas.
- Italy and Switzerland: Have adopted much stricter RF exposure limits compared to the U.S.
Yet here in America, outdated FCC guidelines allow children like John Coates’s daughter to sit just 465 feet from a cell tower, despite the BioInitiative Report recommending a minimum distance of 1,500 feet.
The Solution: An Executive Order to Protect Our Children
President Trump has the power to change this. By issuing an executive order, he can take immediate action to address the systemic failures of 1996 and prioritize the health and safety of American families.
What the Executive Order Must Do:
- Repeal Section 704
- Restore the right of communities to raise health concerns in zoning decisions.
- Ensure local governments can protect schools, playgrounds, and residential areas from unnecessary RF exposure.
- Investigate the FCC’s Guidelines
- Launch a Congressional investigation into why the FCC adopted thermal-only standards and ignored non-thermal effects.
- Examine the role of industry influence in shaping these guidelines.
- Enforce Public Law 90-602
- Direct the FDA to fulfill its mandate to study and regulate electronic radiation.
- Resume funding for research on non-thermal effects, such as the halted National Toxicology Program studies.
- Mandate New Safety Standards
- Require the FCC to replace SAR guidelines with exposure limits that account for chronic, cumulative, and non-thermal effects.
- Base these limits on independent, peer-reviewed science—not industry recommendations.
- Protect Children in Schools
- Implement the BioInitiative Report’s recommendation to keep cell towers at least 1,500 feet from schools, daycares, and playgrounds.
- Encourage wired internet connections in classrooms to reduce wireless exposure.
A Father’s Plea
John Coates’s fight is deeply personal. His first child, Angel, died of anencephaly, a neural tube defect that cut short her life before it even began. Now, his seven-year-old daughter sits in a classroom just 465 feet from a cell tower, exposed daily to RF radiation that the FCC guidelines fail to adequately address.
“This isn’t just about my daughter. It’s about every child sitting in a classroom next to a cell tower. It’s about holding our government accountable for the safety standards they promised but never delivered. President Trump has the power to fix this—now he needs the courage to act.”
—John Coates
The Most Important Executive Order
President Trump has built his legacy on challenging broken systems and putting the American people first. But the fight to protect our children from wireless radiation—and to correct the failures of 1996—remains unfinished.
The repeal of Section 704 and the overhaul of FCC guidelines are not just policy changes—they are moral imperatives. By taking this action, President Trump can ensure that the next generation grows up safer, healthier, and free from the unseen dangers of a flawed regulatory system.
It’s time to act. For our children. For science. For the future.
How You Can Help
- Call on President Trump
Write, call, or email the White House, urging President Trump to issue an executive order repealing Section 704 and mandating new RF safety standards. - Raise Awareness
Share this article and educate others about the failures of 1996 and why they must be corrected. - Support Independent Research
Donate to organizations like the Environmental Health Trust and RF Safe that are fighting for science-based safety standards. - Adopt Safer Practices
Use wired internet, keep devices away from your body, and power down wireless routers when not in use.