President Donald Trump signed into law the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, which is designed to help secure America’s telecommunications supply chain.
The enactment of the bill was applauded by its sponsors, Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Greg Walden (R-OR), Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Brett Guthrie (R-KY).
“Securing our networks from malicious foreign interference is critical to America’s wireless future, especially as some communications providers rely on equipment from companies like Huawei that pose an immense threat to America’s national and economic security,” the bill’s sponsors said. “With the President signing this important, bipartisan bill into law, we can take steps to protect our communications networks from bad actors, while helping small and rural providers remove and replace suspect network equipment. We look forward to continuing to work together to protect our communications networks, keep Americans safe, and bolster our national security in today’s interconnected world.”
The act requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish the Secure and Trusted Communications Reimbursement Program, which will assist communications providers with the costs of removing prohibited equipment or services from their networks and replacing them with more secure equipment and services.
It also helps the federal government share supply chain security information with carriers, particularly smaller carriers, to help keep suspect equipment out of our networks in the future.
Further, it prohibits the use of federal funds administered by the FCC to purchase communications equipment or services from companies that pose a national security risk.