Office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer
Today, U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, introduced the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency (FACT) Act.
The legislation would require the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to publicly identify entities that hold FCC licenses, authorizations, or other grants of authority that are owned, wholly or partially, by foreign adversarial governments. This includes the governments of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) joined Senator Fischer as original cosponsors of the bipartisan bill.
U.S. Representatives Thomas Kean (NJ-07), Rob Wittman (VA-01), Kathy Castor (FL-14), and Ro Khanna (CA-17) will lead companion legislation in the House.
“Authoritarian regimes like China and Russia are actively working to undermine the security of our domestic communications. My bill will better position the FCC to evaluate the risks foreign ties pose to America’s national security so that we can respond to these network infrastructure threats,” said Senator Fischer.
“The U.S. must protect our telecommunications systems from global adversaries that are trying to do us harm,” said Senator Rosen. “That’s why I’m helping to introduce this bipartisan bill to increase transparency and publicly keep track of companies with influence from adversaries, including China, Russia, and Iran. I’ll always work to support our national security.”
“It’s no secret that foreign adversaries threaten our national security by exploiting both legal and illegal access to technology and communication infrastructure,” said Senator Cornyn. “The FACT Act would shine light on these vulnerabilities by identifying foreign entities that hold FCC licenses, helping to reduce national security risks and strengthen oversight.”
“Securing our telecommunications systems is crucial for our country’s national security,” said Senator Luján. “The FACT Act is a critical step to promote transparency and boost the FCC’s ability to detect risks posed by our adversaries. I’m proud to introduce this bipartisan bill with my colleagues to safeguard our telecommunications networks.”
Background:
Until now, there has been no mandated public disclosure of companies linked to foreign adversaries operating within U.S. technology and telecommunication markets.
Although the FCC is prohibited from granting licenses or authorizations deemed a national security threat, some entities with ties to adversarial foreign governments continue to hold certain approvals. As a result, more transparency is necessary.
Click here to read the text of the bill.