Senate Passes Secure Equipment Act to Protect U.S. Telecommunications

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate on Thursday unanimously passed the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 (S. 1790), which aims to restrict the deployment of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment manufactured by China-based companies that are considered a national security risk.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed its version of the bill (H.R. 3919) on Oct. 20. The bipartisan legislation will now head to President Biden’s desk to sign into law.

The Secure Equipment Act would ban the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from considering or issuing authorization of products from companies on the agency’s “Covered Equipment or Services,” which includes Dahua, Hikvision, Huawei, Hytera Technologies and ZTE Corp. In June, the FCC introduced proposed rulemaking that could go beyond what’s required in the Secure Equipment Act, allowing the agency to revoke previously issued authorizations to companies.

The legislation was sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.). The House bill was sponsored by House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.).

The FCC is required to maintain the Covered List under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, which detailed particular criteria for determining what communications equipment or services pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. safety.

In 2020, the FCC adopted new rules to require that U.S. telecommunications carriers rip and replace equipment provided by the covered companies. However, those rules only apply to equipment purchased with federal funding. The same equipment can still be used if purchased with private or non-federal government dollars.

Language in S. 1790 intended to close the loophole and further prevent identified security threats from having a presence in U.S. telecommunications networks. Subsequently, the FCC initiated a rulemaking that mirrors the Rubio and Markey proposal; the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee advanced a modified version of the Secure Equipment Act that is said to ensure the agency takes timely action on the issue.

“In today’s increasingly connected world, we must animate our technology with our values,” Markey states in a press release. “That’s why our bipartisan legislation will keep compromised equipment out of U.S. telecommunications networks and ensure our technology is safe for consumers and secure for the United States.”

He continues, “I stand ready to now work with the Biden administration and the FCC to implement this critical national security measure.”

“Chinese state-directed companies like Huawei and ZTE are known national security threats and have no place in our telecommunications network,” Rubio states. “I am grateful that the Senate and House passed this bill, which will help keep compromised equipment from bad actors out of critical American infrastructure. Now, President Biden must swiftly sign it into law so that the Chinese Communist Party can no longer exploit this dangerous loophole.”

The post Senate Passes Secure Equipment Act to Protect U.S. Telecommunications appeared first on Security Sales & Integration.



from News – Security Sales & Integration https://www.securitysales.com/business/industry/senate-passes-secure-equipment-act-to-protect-u-s-telecommunications/
via IFTTT

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Total Tech Summit Puts Call Out for Top Integrators to Apply Now

Image
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Total Tech Summit announces that applications are now being accepted to attend this year’s event. Comprised of the  SSI Summit, CE Pro Summit and Commercial Integrator Summit, this year’s event will take place in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Nov. 13-15. At this all-expense-paid, exclusive event, VIP guests will have the chance to sit in on industry-defining sessions, key boardroom presentations, and be able to meet one-on-one with potential vendors. Total Tech Summit brings together the best in class to share ideas, learn from others, and most importantly, accelerating the next stage of their businesses. It is the only event of its kind that bridges channels and connections by bringing together professional security, commercial AV and residential AV integrators. Another perk of the Total Tech Summit is the VIP Peer-to-Peer groups. These group conversations take place throughout the months leading up to the event and are guided by the editors of t
Read more

Evolv Technology, Pittsburgh Pirates Team Up for Fan-Friendly Ballpark Security

Image
WALTHAM, Mass.—Evolv Technology has announced its partnership with Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, adding to the growing list of Pittsburgh, Pa. venues that have teamed up with Evolv to help keep people safe, including the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Acrisure Stadium, home of the Pittsburgh Steelers. When the Pirates opened the gates at PNC Park for the 2023 MLB season in early April, all attending fans passed through Evolv’s state-of-the-art Evolv Express screening solution, which uses sensor technology with artificial intelligence (AI) to provide safer, more accurate threat detection at unprecedented volume and speed, the company states. Fans can now walk through without always having to stop or open bags, reducing long lines and allowing guests to make their way directly into the ballpark. “What continues to make PNC Park so special, aside from the physical design, is the total fan experience. That begins from the moment they walk up to our gates,” said Travis Willi
Read more

Minnesota AG Calls for Cancellation of Home Security Contracts for Alleged Fraud

STEARNS COUNTY, Minn. — Bring Me the News reports that Minnesota’s Attorney General, Keith Ellison, says he’s gotten consumers in Stearns County out of home security contracts after they were misled by a door-to-door salesman. According to the report, Ellison’s office announced that home security companies Skyline Security Management and Safe Home Security have agreed to their cancel contracts with customers in and around Stearns County who purchased their systems from door-to-door salesman Gary Harvey. “Door-to-door salesmen and their employers are in the business of trust-building,” Ellison said in a statement. “They know they need to have your trust to sell you their products, particularly expensive products like security systems that are supposed to keep your home safe. When that trust is betrayed, it’s emotionally and financially painful. I appreciate Skyline and Safe Home taking the right step in canceling these contracts while my office does what we can under the law to hold M
Read more