Sen Cantwell Slams Efforts by Brendan Carr’s FCC to Roll Back Network Protection Rules Put in Place After Salt Typhoon Hacks

Sen Maria Cantwell (D-WA) wrote to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr strongly opposing an effort by the FCC’s Republican majority to roll back rules put in place after the China-sponsored Salt Typhoon hack to better protect U.S. data networks from future attacks. Sen Cantwell wrote, "Your proposal to rescind this ruling would undermine the FCC’s ability to hold carriers accountable for protecting our nation’s critical communications infrastructure. And you propose to replace the ruling with no action whatsoever, instead relying on “collaboration” with carriers who failed to detect the hacks and have not provided me any of the evidence I requested that they have removed the intruders from their networks. Your order to rescind the January ruling also claims without evidence that the “collaborative approach to cybersecurity continues to be effective. I am concerned that your move to drop cybersecurity requirements on carriers is part of a pattern of weakness on national security issues. In 2024, you opposed the prior FCC’s efforts to block Chinese companies from providing internet service in this country, claiming that the FCC lacked authority to do so. And after helping lead the movement during the Biden administration to require that TikTok divest of Chinese influence, you have been silent while the Trump administration ignored the law and threatens to leave TikTok’s algorithm under Chinese control. You also stood by while Republicans in Congress passed a law that threatens national security with rash plans to reallocate spectrum used for defense and public safety."