Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4067) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 4067
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 ``Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act''. SEC. 2. COUNCIL ON COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY, RELIABILITY, AND INTEROPERABILITY.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish a council, to advise the Commission on issues including the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks.
(b) Membership.--
(1) Appointment.--The members of the council shall be appointed by the Chair.
(2) Composition.--To the extent practicable, the membership of the council shall be composed of the following:
(A) Representatives of companies in the communications industry, except companies that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted.
(B) Representatives of public interest organizations or academic institutions, except public interest organizations or academic institutions that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted.
(C) Representatives of the Federal Government, State governments, local governments, or Tribal Governments, with at least one member representing each such type of government.
(3) Knowledge and experience.--Each member of the council shall have knowledge and experience relevant to the purpose and goals of the council.
(4) Terms.--
(A) In general.--Each member of the council shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, except as provided in subparagraph (B).
(B) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office.
(c) Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the council is established under subsection (a), and every 2 years thereafter, the council shall submit to the Chair each report adopted by the council during the preceding 2-year period, and any report adopted by any working group of the council during such period, including any such report of the council or a working group containing recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and on other relevant issues as appropriate.
(2) Availability on commission website.--The Commission shall make each report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available on the website of the Commission.
(d) Duration.--Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the termination of advisory committees) shall not apply to the council.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Chair.--The term ``Chair'' means the Chair of the Commission.
(2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal Communications Commission.
(3) Council.--The term ``council'' means the council established under subsection (a).
(4) Not trusted.--
(A) In general.--The term ``not trusted'' means, with respect to an entity, that--
(i) the Chair has made a public determination that such entity is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the influence of a foreign adversary; or
(ii) the Chair otherwise determines that such entity poses a threat to the national security of the United States.
(B) Criteria for determination.--In making a determination under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Chair shall use the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)), as appropriate.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. PALLONE. 4067.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4067, the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act.
As we have seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our Nation's communications networks play an important role in our daily lives. Indeed, these networks have helped us remain connected when we were not able to see family and friends in person. It is vital that we continue to do all we can to protect this critical infrastructure and ensure it is reliable and available to all Americans.
The Federal Communications Commission's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council, or CSRIC, is meant to do just that. It is made up of government leaders at the Federal, State, and local levels, and includes thought leaders from industry and public interest organizations. The council provides the FCC with recommendations on the best practices and actions the agency could take so that our communications networks are secure, reliable, and compatible with each other.
CSRIC has been in existence since 2009 and was recently rechartered by acting FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel for another 5 years.
CSRIC has served the FCC well by operating in a collaborative manner with representatives from private industry, government, and other key stakeholders. This year the council will be cochaired by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and will include even greater participation from the public interest community.
But given the important objectives of CSRIC, we should not leave it to the FCC's discretion on whether to recharter this council or not every 2 years. Instead, CSRIC must become a permanent fixture at the FCC.
H.R. 4067 requires the Federal Communications Commission to do just that. Under this bill, the FCC would be required to establish a permanent council to advise the agency on the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks within 90 days. This council would include representatives from trusted communications companies, public interest organizations, academic institutions, as well as Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments for a term of 2 years.
This bill also requires the council and its working groups to submit reports offering their recommendations to the chair of the FCC every 2 years. In turn, the FCC must make these reports publicly available on its website.
I want to thank Representatives Schrader and Slotkin for their leadership on this bill, as well as Representative Walberg for working with us to move this bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee. This bill is an important step in protecting our communications networks from bad actors and foreign adversaries.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, I look forward to its consideration by the Senate, and I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I ask the gentleman from Ohio if he has any additional speakers.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, again, I ask Members to support this bill as another step in helping us with our communications security as well as reliability.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source