Commerce Committee has advanced the bipartisan legislation.
Legislation that would restrict private entities from buying equipment from Chinese telecom companies such as Huawei and ZTE has cleared the Senate Commerce Committee. Those two telecom companies are reputed to be national security risks.
The Secure Equipment Act of 2021 was co-sponsored by Senators Marco Rubio of Florida and Ed Markey of Massachusetts. It has had strong bipartisan support and is expected to get a vote on the Senate floor in the coming months.
The bill would direct the Federal Communications Commission not to approve applications from Chinese telecom companies to sell their devices to American companies, thereby closing a loophole that allowed Chinese devices to enter U.S. telecom networks, which are vital to national security.
“The Chinese Communist Party will stop at nothing to exploit our laws and undermine our national security,” Senator Rubio stated.“Chinese state-directed companies, like Huawei and ZTE, have no place in our telecommunications network. This bill would keep compromised equipment from bad actors out of critical U.S. infrastructure.”
A similar bipartisan bill was recently advanced in the House.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of Congress as they seek to reduce risks to national security posed by various activities of the Chinese Communist Party.
- For the FCC as they endeavor to protect America’s telecommunications.
- For U.S. officials as they look to support the production of products and technology in secure American facilities.
Sources: Roll Call, Washington Examiner
