House Passes Bills to Strengthen Telecommunications Infrastructure and Supply Chains
On Wednesday, The U.S. House of Representatives passed a slate of bipartisan bills aimed at securing U.S. telecommunications infrastructure. Concern is growing throughout the government about the risk to U.S. telecom networks from foreign adversaries, particularly from China. According to Reuters, a group of five senators recently wrote a letter urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address surveillance threats by foreign firms that provide services to U.S. telecommunications providers.
The Information and Communication Technology Strategy Act, sponsored by Reps. Billy Long (R-MO), Earl Carter (R-GA), Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and Jerry McNerney (D-CA) passed by a vote of 413-14. The bill would require the Secretary of Commerce to develop a strategy on the economic competitiveness of the information and communication technology supply chain. The legislation is in part a response to the computer chip shortage. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, the United States’ share of worldwide semiconductor manufacturing dropped to just 12 percent last year, down from 37% in 1990.
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told CNN last month “The reason we’re really in this mess is because for a long time, we haven’t invested. We took our eye off the ball.” After the bill cleared the House, Rep. Long applauded its passage saying it “brings us one step closer to making sure our nation’s information technology supply chains are secure and free from dependence on foreign countries like China.”
The House also passed the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act on Wednesday. The bill sponsored by Reps. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tim Walberg (R-MI), and Kurt Schrader (D-OR) cleared the House by a vote of 397-29, with all dissenting votes coming from Republicans. The act would require the FCC to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks. Citing the increasing threat of cyberattacks, Rep. Walberg said, “we have to be prepared as a nation to meet these evolving challenges, and bringing the best minds to the table helps us do that.”
House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) had little trouble securing votes for the Secure Equipment Act of 2021, which was cosponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Passing by a vote of 420-4, the bill would require the FCC to establish rules stating that it will no longer review or approve any authorization application for equipment on its covered list. The two most notable companies are Chinese based Huawei and ZTE. “By prohibiting the FCC from issuing any equipment licenses to companies identified as a threat to our national security, this bill prevents compromised Chinese equipment from threatening America’s networks,” Whip Scalise said. Companion legislation sponsored by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ed Markey (D-MA) awaits in the Senate.
Finally, the DHS Software Supply Chain Risk Management Act of 2021 seeks to address software supply chain vulnerabilities, as highlighted by the SolarWinds hack. Sponsored by Reps. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) and Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), the act directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop guidelines for identifying materials used in software development. The bill requires the issuance of department-wide guidance for DHS contractors to follow when submitting a software bills of materials (SBOM). SBOMs must identify the origins of each component of the software furnished to DHS. “The security and integrity of software bought by DHS is integral to homeland security,” said Rep. Torres in his press release. “It is crucial that DHS has the capacity to protect its own networks and enhance its visibility into information and communications tech or services that it buys.” Passing by a 412-2 margin, Rep. Torres urged his Senate colleagues to bring up and pass the legislation.