House Commerce Clears Future Networks Act, 3 Communications Security Bills

The House Commerce Committee unanimously advanced the Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhancing Networks Act (HR-1513) and three communications equipment security measures Wednesday, as expected (see 2403190062). Also on the agenda: the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act (HR-820), Countering CCP Drones Act (HR-2864) and Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act (HR-7589). HR-820 would require the FCC to publish a list of communications companies with agency licenses or other authorizations in which China and other foreign adversaries’ governments hold at least a 10% ownership stake (see 2210250067). HR-1513 would direct the FCC to establish a 6G task force that provides recommendations about ensuring U.S. leadership in developing that technology’s standards. HR-2864 would add Chinese drone manufacturer Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) to the FCC’s covered entities list. HR-7521 would direct the Commerce Department to “specify what transactions involving routers, modems, or devices that combine a modem and a router are prohibited” under a 2019 executive order by then-President Donald Trump’s that barred transactions involving information and communications technologies that pose an “undue risk of sabotage to or subversion of” U.S.-based communications services (see 1905150066). “China poses a serious threat to America's national security across the board, including to our critical communications infrastructure,” said House Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., during the committee meeting. “We know that the [Chinese Communist Party] will utilize every tool at its disposal to exploit vulnerabilities in our communications networks, which is why this committee has taken decisive action in these areas. Failure to address these exceedingly complex threats not only jeopardizes our economic competitiveness and national security, but also risks ceding ground to an adversarial power intent on undermining American leadership.” The four bills “will help protect American networks from security threats, while also allowing our country to remain a global leader in communications technology,” said panel ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J. He singled out HR-1513, which “will help us understand the potential risks to best protect our networks and strengthen the technologies designed.”