House Commerce Committee to Tackle Slate of Tech and Telecom Bills

The House Commerce Committee will delve into a slate of nine bills aimed at securing wireless networks. The bills focus on changes to the Federal Communications Commission and National Telecommunications and Information Administration related to both tech and cybersecurity policy, with an eye toward Chinese dominance in telecoms. Four of the bills would affect the FCC, including two that would establish a council to make recommendations on the security, reliability and interoperability of communications networks — H.R. 4067 (117), as well as a task force to look at standards and limitations of 6G, in addition to how governments can best use that technology — H.R. 4045 (117). Another bill, H.R. 4029 (117), would formalize an existing interagency review process at the NTIA to address national security concerns over certain FCC applications from foreign entities. And the last bill, H.R. 3919 (117), would call for an FCC rulemaking aimed at ensuring the agency doesn’t approve radio-frequency devices that pose a risk to national security.

In addition to the interagency review for FCC applications, one bill, H.R. 4046 (117), would establish an Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity at the agency. Another, H.R. 4032 (117), would task the NTIA with outreach and technical assistance for small providers related to Open RAN networks — part of a push to make the U.S. less dependent on Chinese hardware giants like Huawei and ZTE. Another bill, H.R. 4055 (117), calls for a cybersecurity literacy campaign, aimed at teaching Americans about phishing emails, proper password etiquette and the dangers of public Wi-Fi networks. Another, H.R. 2685 (117), asks the NTIA to report on the cybersecurity of mobile service networks, as well as their vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and surveillance from foreign adversaries. The last bill, H.R. 4028 (117), is aimed more broadly at the Commerce Department and asks Secretary Gina Raimondo to lay out a strategy to boost the U.S.’ economic competitiveness in the information and communication technology supply chain.