[Pages H5823-H5825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

UTILIZING STRATEGIC ALLIED TELECOMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 2020

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 6624) to support supply chain innovation and multilateral
security, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 6624

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 ``Utilizing Strategic Allied
Telecommunications Act of 2020'' or the ``USA
Telecommunications Act''.

SEC. 2. WIRELESS SUPPLY CHAIN INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--From amounts made available under
subsection (d), the Assistant Secretary shall, beginning not
later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this
Act, make grants on a competitive basis to support the
deployment and use of Open RAN 5G Networks throughout the
United States by--
(1) promoting the use of technology, including software,
hardware, and microprocessing technology, that will enhance
competitiveness in the supply chains of Open RAN 5G Networks;
(2) accelerating the deployment of Open Network Equipment;
(3) promoting the use of Open Network Equipment;
(4) establishing objective criteria that can be used to
determine if equipment meets the definition of Open Network
Equipment;
(5) promoting the inclusion of security features that
enhance the integrity and availability of Open Network
Equipment; or
(6) promoting the application of network function
virtualization to facilitate the deployment of Open RAN 5G
Networks and a more diverse vendor market.
(b) Grant Criteria.--The Assistant Secretary, in
consultation with the Commission, the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Secretary
of Homeland Security, the Director of the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency (commonly known as ``DARPA''), and
the Director of the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects
Activity of the Office of the Director of National
Intelligence (commonly known as ``IARPA''), shall establish
the criteria under which the Assistant Secretary shall award
a grant under subsection (a).
(c) Reports to Congress.--
(1) Annual report on grants made.--For each fiscal year for
which amounts are available to make grants under subsection
(a), the Assistant Secretary shall submit to the relevant
committees of Congress a report that includes, with respect
to that fiscal year--
(A) a description of--
(i) to whom grants under subsection (a) were made, the
amount thereof, and criteria used to award such grants; and
(ii) the progress the Assistant Secretary has made in
meeting the objectives described in subsection (a) of the
grant program under this section; and
(B) any additional information that the Assistant Secretary
determines appropriate.
(2) Report on 5g network supply chain.--Not later than 180
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Assistant Secretary shall submit to the relevant committees
of Congress a written report--
(A) that includes recommendations on promoting the
competitiveness and sustainability of trusted Open RAN 5G
Networks; and
(B) identifying whether any additional authorities are
needed by the Assistant Secretary to facilitate the timely
adoption of Open Network Equipment, including the authority
to provide loans, loan guarantees, and other forms of credit
extension that would maximize the use of grant amounts
awarded under this section.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
(1) Amount authorized.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to make grants under subsection (a) $750,000,000
for fiscal years 2021 through 2031.
(2) Availability.--Amounts made available under paragraph
(1) shall remain available through fiscal year 2031.

SEC. 3. ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

(a) Establishment.--The Assistant Secretary shall establish
an Advisory Committee to advise the Assistant Secretary in
the manner described in subsection (c).
(b) Composition.--The Advisory Committee established under
subsection (a) shall be composed of--

[[Page H5824]]

(1) representatives from--
(A) the Commission;
(B) the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (commonly
known as ``DARPA'');
(C) the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity of
the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (commonly
known as ``IARPA'');
(D) the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
(E) the Department of State;
(F) the National Science Foundation; and
(G) the Department of Homeland Security; and
(2) other representatives from the private and public
sectors, at the discretion of the Assistant Secretary.
(c) Duties.--The Advisory Committee established under
subsection (a) shall be used to advise the Assistant
Secretary on technology developments to help inform--
(1) the strategic direction of the grant program
established under section 2; and
(2) efforts of the Federal Government to promote a more
secure, diverse, sustainable, and competitive supply chain
for Open RAN 5G Networks.

SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:
(1) 3gpp.--The term ``3GPP'' means the Third Generation
Partnership Project.
(2) 5g network.--The term ``5G network'' means a radio
network as described by 3GPP Release 15 or higher, or any
successor network.
(3) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
and Information.
(4) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(5) Open network equipment.--The term ``Open Network
Equipment'' means equipment that follows a set of open
standards (such as O-RAN standards or the Open Radio Access
Network approach to standardization, adopted by the O-RAN
Alliance, 3GPP, or other organization) and open interfaces
for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability, such
that the equipment may be integrated into the Radio Access
Networks of an Open RAN 5G Network.
(6) Open ran 5g network.--The term ``Open RAN 5G Network''
means a 5G network that follows a set of open standards (such
as O-RAN standards or the Open Radio Access Network approach
to standardization, adopted by the O-RAN Alliance, 3GPP, or
other organizations) and open interfaces for multi-vendor
network equipment interoperability.
(7) Relevant committees of congress.--The term ``relevant
committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives;
(B) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the
House of Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives;
(D) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of
Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives;
(F) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate;
(G) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate;
(H) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate;
(I) the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate; and
(J) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Walden) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.

General Leave

Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 6624.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of H.R. 6624, the USA Telecommunications Act.
Earlier this year, the House passed, and the President signed, my
Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act to create a program to
fund the replacement of suspect network equipment. Suspect equipment,
including that produced by Huawei and ZTE, could allow foreign
adversaries to surveil Americans at home or, worse, disrupt our
communications systems.
While we are still pushing for Congress to appropriate funds to that
end, it is important to recognize that my legislation was only half the
battle, even when it is funded. We also need to create and foster
competition for trusted network equipment that uses open interfaces so
that the United States is not beholden to a market for network
equipment that is becoming less competitive.

{time} 1400

This bill before us today, the Utilizing Strategic Allied
Telecommunications Act, or the USA Telecommunications Act, does just
that.
The bipartisan legislation creates a grant program and authorizes
$750 million in funding for the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration to help promote and deploy Open Radio Access
Network technologies that can spur that type of competition. We must
support alternatives to companies like Huawei and ZTE, Madam Speaker.
Today, most network equipment is produced by a handful of companies
that provide a soup-to-nuts solution, locking our networks into one
single vendor at a time. That makes it hard for new competitors to
break into the market.
Currently, there are no American vendors for the network equipment
that fuels our wireless economy. However, this legislation would
authorize the funding of grants to support the promotion and deployment
of Open Radio Access Network equipment.
By using standardized open interfaces, this type of equipment will
allow network operators in the U.S. to piece together wireless networks
that are both secure and make sense for them. And because of that, many
American companies will be able to work directly with our network
providers, hopefully spurring a domestic market for network equipment,
and that is something we desperately need.
For all of these reasons, I want to thank Representatives Guthrie and
Matsui and Ranking Member Walden for joining me in leading this
bipartisan, bicameral bill. I also want to thank the Senate sponsors,
led by Senator Warner of Virginia.
This legislation is critical for our strategic national interest, and
I urge all Members to support it.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 6624, the USA Telecommunications
Act. This bill will help put the United States at the helm of network
security, ensuring that communications providers have a secure,
diverse, and competitive marketplace of trusted equipment suppliers for
their next-generation networks.
Until now, most network providers have relied on a small set of
trusted suppliers to build their networks. While these suppliers have
done a tremendous job, they face increased pressure from untrusted
Chinese suppliers who are handpicked and encouraged by the Chinese
Communist Party to significantly undercut the network equipment
marketplace by offering nearly free equipment.
As a result of this unfair competition, trusted suppliers have
increasingly relied upon proprietary soup-to-nuts offerings to survive.
But under the soup-to-nuts model, once a network provider selects a
vendor, the provider must use the same vendor for all of the hardware
and software across its network.
Well, this model is simply not sustainable, Madam Speaker. If we want
the United States to continue to have access to trusted, affordable
communications equipment that can withstand state-sponsored attempts to
undermine our security, then we have to act.
This model results in an expensive and timely process to upgrade
equipment and software for the next-generation 5G networks.
Furthermore, competing for a small set of contracts in a limited
marketplace, while simultaneously trying to fight off untrusted state-
sponsored vendors, has also resulted in significant losses to research,
development, and innovation.
So Congress needs to act. We need to do all we can to ensure the
United States supports capitalism and competition among trusted
vendors. Today's bill will help us do just that.
The USA Telecommunications Act will promote and accelerate the
deployment and use of open radio access technology by infusing the
marketplace with a $750 million grant program. This hefty infusion
should help

[[Page H5825]]

create a marketplace filled with a diverse array of vendors, large and
small, who are aggressively researching and innovating.
Competition among open network solutions will reduce costs for
network providers by creating a diverse marketplace of trusted
suppliers and ensure that the same suppliers can withstand pressure
from those who do not have our best interests in mind.
So this strong endorsement of open, interoperable, and standards-
based equipment would help ensure the United States maintains its place
as a global leader in wireless communications for 5G as well as future
network generations.
I am very pleased to support this legislation which will help ensure
the superiority of our wireless networks for generations to come. I
urge a ``yes'' vote on this legislation.
Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr.
Guthrie), one of the principal authors of this legislation.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to voice my support for H.R.
6624, the USA Telecommunications Act.
It is clear that China poses a significant threat to the security of
the United States. Technology produced by Chinese companies threatens
our supply chains and our telecommunications networks and those of our
allies.
In March, President Trump signed into law legislation that was
reported out of this committee to protect our communications networks
against threats from foreign companies like Huawei and ZTE.
It is clear that America must have a competitive 5G marketplace. The
solution isn't using government control like China, but using markets
to our advantage so domestic and trusted foreign competitors to Huawei
can thrive.
The USA Telecommunications Act would authorize up to $750 million for
a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce, in
consultation with the FCC and other Federal agencies, to promote and
accelerate the deployment and use of open-interfaced, standards-based,
and interoperable 5G networks throughout the United States.

Furthermore, 5G is going to be key to unlocking new opportunities for
all Americans. With more people working and studying from home than
ever before, promoting equipment and technology development like Open
RAN technology can help to diversify our supply chains and keep our
networks secure, especially as we expand 5G.
I was proud to introduce this piece of legislation with Chairman
Pallone, Ranking Member Walden, and Congresswoman Doris Matsui, and I
thank them for working with me to help protect our networks. I urge my
colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. WALDEN. Madam Speaker, I have no other speakers on this
legislation, so I urge its passage, and I yield back the balance of my
time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I have no additional speakers. I also
urge passage of the bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6624, the USA
Telecommunications Act.
It has been a decade since I first raised how the vulnerabilities in
our telecommunications infrastructure directly impact our national
security. I first wrote to the FCC on November 2, 2010, expressing very
grave concerns about Huawei and ZTE, companies that have opaque
entanglements with the Chinese government. In the intervening decade,
Huawei and ZTE equipment has proliferated across our country because
it's cheap, due to the Chinese government subsidizing them.
As we build out 5G networks, we must protect our national security,
especially from entities like Huawei and ZTE, and it's why I'm proud to
cosponsor H.R. 6624, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that invests
$750 million in Open Radio Access Networks, or Open RAN, and promotes
the deployment of open network 5G equipment.
We hear a great deal and talk about 5G, but I don't think most people
can tell you what 5G actually is. It's a set of protocols and standards
agreed to in various multistakeholder forums. Unlike previous
generations of wireless standards, 5G is primarily based on software
independent of the physical telecommunications equipment which
increases security.
Open RAN is a movement to create secure and open software standards
for 5G that ensures that our communications are secure, no matter whose
equipment the communications travel through. This is critical because
even after we remove Huawei and ZTE-made cell sites from our country,
we may still have their parts in our telecom ecosystem because they
make parts used by most providers. We can never be 100 percent secure
if we rely on insecure equipment. This is precisely why we need the
software used by wireless equipment to be secure by design, and Open
RAN does just that.
For these reasons, I urge colleagues to support H.R. 6624.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 6624.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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