Secure Equipment Act of 2021

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3919) to ensure that the Federal Communications Commission does not approve radio frequency devices that pose a national security risk, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3919

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Equipment Act of 2021''. SEC. 2. UPDATES TO EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZATION PROCESS OF FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION.

(a) Rulemaking.--

(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall adopt rules in the proceeding initiated in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the matter of Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain through the Equipment Authorization Program (ET Docket No. 21-232; FCC 21-73; adopted June 17, 2021), in accordance with paragraph (2), to update the equipment authorization procedures of the Commission.

(2) Updates required.--In the rules adopted under paragraph (1), the Commission shall clarify that the Commission will no longer review or approve any application for equipment authorization for equipment that is on the list of covered communications equipment or services published by the Commission under section 2(a) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(a)).

(3) Applicability.--

(A) In general.--In the rules adopted under paragraph (1), the Commission may not provide for review or revocation of any equipment authorization granted before the date on which such rules are adopted on the basis of the equipment being on the list described in paragraph (2).

(B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit the Commission, other than in the rules adopted under paragraph (1), from--

(i) examining the necessity of review or revocation of any equipment authorization on the basis of the equipment being on the list described in paragraph (2); or

(ii) adopting rules providing for any such review or revocation.

(b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``Commission'' means the Federal Communications Commission.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. 3919.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3919, the Secure Equipment Act of 2021.

Two years ago, we came together on a bipartisan basis to enact the Secure and Trusted Communications Act, legislation that I proudly authored. That bill was an important first step toward securing commercial communications networks in the United States from untrusted foreign adversaries. Among other things, it prohibits certain funds provided by the Federal Communications Commission from being used to purchase or obtain network equipment and services from certain untrusted vendors.

While that legislation established an important foundation and has made great strides in helping secure our communications networks, we have the opportunity today to take the next step by applying those same principles to the FCC's equipment authorization process. We know our adversaries will use any and all potential avenues to weaken our networks, and therefore, we must remain vigilant and prevent it before they can do so.

H.R. 3919 simply requires the FCC to update its equipment authorization rules so that, going forward, the agency will no longer review or approve any application for equipment from vendors that have been determined to be a threat to our national security.

Importantly, while this bill focuses only on the applications that the agency is in the process of reviewing or will receive in the future, it does not prevent the FCC from later studying whether it should review equipment previously authorized but which is now known to pose a threat.

Over the past several years, the Energy and Commerce Committee has worked, on a bipartisan basis, on important security issues, and I commend Representatives Eshoo and Scalise for continuing in that tradition through their leadership and bipartisan work on this legislation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, does the whip have any additional speakers?
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I would urge, again, bipartisan support. This is an important next step in our effort to try to secure our equipment and prevent foreign actors, such as the Chinese, from interfering with our national security, and I yield back the balance of my time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source