Bill Summary
The **Securing Global Telecommunications Act** is a legislative proposal aimed at enhancing global telecommunications security and promoting the use of secure infrastructure worldwide. The act emphasizes the need for the United States to maintain its leadership in strategic technology sectors, particularly in telecommunications, amid concerns over the influence of companies linked to the Chinese Communist Party, such as Huawei.
Key provisions include:
1. **Strategy Development**: The Secretary of State is tasked with creating a comprehensive strategy to promote secure telecommunications infrastructure in other nations within 90 days of the bill's enactment. This strategy will involve collaboration with various federal agencies and focus on mobile networks, data centers, emerging technologies like 6G, and emergency communication solutions.
2. **Countering Malign Influence**: The act calls for a report on Russian and Chinese efforts to expand their influence within the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), particularly regarding internet governance and standards-setting.
3. **Multilateral Coordination**: Another report is mandated to explore opportunities for increased collaboration with allies to promote secure ICT infrastructure, including joint financing initiatives and diplomatic efforts to discourage reliance on untrusted providers.
Overall, the legislation aims to safeguard national security interests, foster multilateral cooperation, and ensure the competitiveness of U.S. companies in the global telecommunications market.
Possible Impacts
The **Securing Global Telecommunications Act** could affect people in various ways, including:
1. **Enhanced Cybersecurity for Individuals**:
The Act promotes the use of secure telecommunications infrastructure, which could lead to improved protections against data breaches and cyberattacks. As countries adopt more secure technologies, individuals may experience greater safety regarding their personal data and communications, minimizing the risks of identity theft and unauthorized surveillance.
2. **Increased Costs for Telecommunications Services**:
As the U.S. government pushes for the adoption of trusted vendors and secure technologies, it may lead to increased costs for telecommunications services. Companies may pass on expenses related to compliance, upgrading infrastructure, and transitioning away from untrusted vendors to consumers, resulting in higher bills for phone and internet services.
3. **Job Creation in the Technology Sector**:
The focus on developing secure telecommunications infrastructure could stimulate job growth in the U.S. technology sector. As companies expand their operations to meet the demands of new regulations and strategies for secure telecommunications, this may lead to more employment opportunities in areas such as network security, software development, and telecommunications engineering, benefiting individuals seeking jobs in these fields.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4506 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4506
To require the development of a strategy to promote the use of secure
telecommunications infrastructure worldwide, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 17, 2025
Mr. Keating (for himself and Mrs. Kim) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the development of a strategy to promote the use of secure
telecommunications infrastructure worldwide, and for other purposes.
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 ``Securing Global Telecommunications
Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress as follows:
(1) The United States Government should promote and take
steps to ensure American leadership in strategic technology
industries, including telecommunications infrastructure and
other information and communications technologies.
(2) The expansive presence of companies linked to the
Chinese Communist Party, such as Huawei, in global mobile
networks and the national security implications thereof, such
as the ability of the People's Republic of China to exfiltrate
the information flowing through those networks and shut off
countries' internet access, demonstrates the importance of the
United States remaining at the technological frontier and the
dire consequences of falling behind.
(3) The significant cost of countering Huawei's market
leadership in telecommunications infrastructure around the
world underscores the urgency of supporting the competitiveness
of United States companies in next-generation information and
communication technology.
(4) To remain a leader at the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and preserve the ITU's technical
integrity, the United States must work with emerging economies
and developing nations to bolster global telecommunications
security and protect American national security interests.
(5) Multilateral cooperation with like-minded partners and
allies is critical to carry out the significant effort of
financing and promoting secure networks around the world and to
achieve market leadership of trusted vendors in this sector.
SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR SECURING GLOBAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.
(a) Strategy Required.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall develop and
submit to the Committees on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives and Energy and Commerce and the Committees on Foreign
Relations and Commerce, Science, and Transportation and of the Senate a
strategy, to be known as the ``Strategy to Secure Global
Telecommunications Infrastructure'' (referred to in this Act as the
``Strategy''), to promote the use of secure telecommunication
infrastructure in countries other than the United States.
(b) Consultation Required.--The Secretary of State shall consult
with the President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the
Chief Executive Officer of the Development Finance Corporation, the
Administrator of the United States Agency for International
Development, the Director of the Trade and Development Agency, the
Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, and the Assistant
Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, in developing
the Strategy, which shall consist of an approach led by the Department
of State using the policy tools, and informed by the technical
expertise, of the other Federal entities so consulted to achieve the
goal described in subsection (a).
(c) Elements.--The Strategy shall also include sections on each of
the following:
(1) Mobile networks, including a description of efforts by
countries other than the United States to--
(A) promote trusted Open RAN technologies while
protecting against any security risks posed by
untrusted vendors in Open RAN networks;
(B) use financing mechanisms to assist ``rip-and-
replace'' projects and to incentivize countries to
choose trusted equipment vendors;
(C) bolster multilateral cooperation, especially
with developing countries and emerging economies, to
promote the deployment of trusted wireless networks
worldwide; and
(D) collaborate with trusted private sector
companies to counter Chinese market leadership in the
telecom equipment industry.
(2) Data centers, including a description of efforts to--
(A) utilize financing mechanisms to incentivize
countries other than the United States to choose
trusted data center providers; and
(B) bolster multilateral cooperation, especially
with developing countries and emerging economies, to
promote the deployment of trusted data centers
worldwide.
(3) Sixth (and future) generation technologies (6G),
including a description of efforts to--
(A) deepen cooperation with like-minded countries
to promote United States and allied market leadership
in 6G networks and technologies; and
(B) increase buy-in from developing countries and
emerging countries on trusted technologies.
(4) Low-Earth orbit satellites, aerostats, and
stratospheric balloons, including a description of efforts to
work with trusted private sector companies to retain the
ability to quickly provide internet connection in response to
emergency situations.
SEC. 4. REPORT ON MALIGN INFLUENCE AT THE INTERNATIONAL
TELECOMMUNICATION UNION.
(a) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall develop and submit to the
Committees on Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives and the Committees on Foreign Relations and Commerce,
Science, and Transportation the Senate a report on Russian and Chinese
strategies and efforts--
(1) to expand the mandate of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) to cover internet governance
policy; and
(2) to advance other actions favorable to authoritarian
interests and/or hostile to fair, industry-led processes.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall also
identify efforts by China and Russia--
(1) to increase the ITU's jurisdiction over internet
governance and to propose internet governance standards at the
ITU;
(2) to leverage their private sector actors to advance
their national interests through the ITU, including--
(A) encouraging Chinese and Russian companies to
leverage their market power to pressure other member
countries to deliver favorable decisions on ITU
elections; and
(B) China's efforts to leverage Huawei's role as
the primary telecommunications equipment and services
provider for many developing countries to compel such
countries to deliver favorable decisions on standards
proposals, election victories, candidate selection, and
other levers of power at the ITU; and
(3) to use the influence of Chinese and Russian nationals
serving in the ITU to advantage the companies, standards
decisions, and candidates that advance the CCP and Kremlin's
interests.
(c) Form.--The report required by this section shall be submitted
in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
SEC. 5. REPORT ON MULTILATERAL COORDINATION.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act,
the Secretary of State, in coordination with the President of the
Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Administrator for the
United States Agency on International Development, the Chief Executive
Officer of the Development Finance Corporation, the Chair of the
Federal Communications Commission, and the Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Communications and Information, shall develop and submit
to the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce and of the
House of Representatives and the Committees Foreign Relations and on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and of the Senate a report that
identifies opportunities for greater collaboration with allies and
partners to promote secure information and communications technology
infrastructure in countries other than the United States, including
through--
(1) joint financing efforts to help trusted vendors win
bids to build out information and communications technology
(ICT) infrastructure;
(2) incorporating ICT focuses into allies' and partners'
international development finance initiatives; and
(3) diplomatic coordination to emphasize the importance of
secure telecommunications infrastructure to countries using
untrusted providers.
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