LANSING, Mich. — U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at safeguarding American telecommunications networks against cyber threats from foreign equipment suppliers, including those linked to the Chinese government.
The Ensuring Network Security Act, which Peters introduced with Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), would provide federal funding to telecommunications providers and schools to replace equipment from sources deemed dangerous, such as Huawei and ZTE. Peters and Johnson wrote a letter last month to Senate leaders regarding the need to prioritize removal of high-risk equipment from foreign suppliers.
“As we become increasingly interconnected – especially during this pandemic – it is vital our telecommunications networks are secured against adversaries like the Chinese government. We must have affordable and reliable telecommunications grids that can withstand national security and economic challenges,” said Senator Peters. “This bipartisan bill will further transition our nation away from relying on foreign telecommunications networks that may jeopardize our security – while incentivizing and encouraging domestic suppliers. In doing so, we can strengthen the network security for Michigan.”
“The vulnerabilities associated with the development and deployment of 5G technology, especially the threat posed by China, are one of the ‘generational threats that will shape our nation’s future,’ as the FBI recently put it,” said Senator Johnson. “This critical legislation addresses an eligibility issue so that all appropriate telecommunications carriers can access funds to ‘rip and replace’ equipment that poses a national security threat. In our increasingly connected world, it is imperative that 100% of our communications networks are secure, and this bill will help accomplish that.”
If passed the legislation would allow both telecommunications carriers that service between two to ten million customers and public and private educational institutions to apply for this funding through the Federal Communications Commission. The bill builds off the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act signed into law earlier this year, which prohibits telecommunications companies from installing equipment from certain suppliers that have historically proven to be a security threat.
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