MATSUI & GUTHRIE URGE ACTION TO SECURE AMERICA’S COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA) and Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), wrote to House Appropriations Committee chair Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX), urging them to provide robust funding for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (SCRP). The SCRP ensures the removal and replacement of untrusted equipment form America’s communications networks. While Congress appropriated $1.9 billion to the SCRP, the Federal Communications Commission reported demand of $5.6 billion – creating a significant funding shortfall.
“For the United States to continue to lead the world in telecommunications security, it is imperative that we provide the resources needed to fully secure our communications networks as required by [Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act] STCNA,” wrote the lawmakers.
The SCRP was established by the bipartisan Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act, co-led by Reps. Matsui and Guthrie, which was passed in 2020. The legislation reaffirmed a bipartisan commitment to protect America’s communications networks’ supply chain and worked to prohibit Huawei, ZTE and other equipment from threatening America’s telecommunications networks.
“This significant funding shortfall has introduced severe uncertainty for these small providers and undercuts internet service providers’ ability to execute their plans to rip and replace network equipment,” the lawmakers continued. “This poses a very significant national security threat and without additional resources, the program cannot fulfill its mandate.”
Congresswoman Matsui has long been a champion of securing our technological future and serves as Chair of the Congressional High-Tech Caucus and Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. She has been a consistent proponent of securing our nation’s communications networks. She is also a co-lead of the Utilizing Strategic Allied (USA) Telecommunications Act, legislation to promote and accelerate the deployment and use of open interfaced, standards-based, and interoperable 5G networks throughout the country.
Cosigners of the letter include Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Richard Hudson (R-NC), G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), Angie D. Craig (D-MN), Billy Long (R-MO), Tom O’ Halleran (D-AZ), Dr. John Joyce (R-PA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Donald McEachin (D-VA), John Curtis (R-UT), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Jack Bergman (R-MI), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Michael Waltz (R-FL), Kurt Schrader (D-OR), and Fred Upton (R-MI).
A copy of the letter can be found below and HERE.
Dear Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger,
As supporters of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act (STCNA), we write today to urge you to fulfill Congress’s goal of removing and replacing all untrusted equipment from America’s communications networks. For the United States to continue to lead the world in telecommunications security, it is imperative that we provide the resources needed to fully secure our communications networks as required by STCNA.
To help internet service providers remove and replace untrusted network equipment, STCNA created, and Congress appropriated $1.9 billion for, the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (SCRP). The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received more than 180 funding applications for the SCRP totaling nearly $5.6 billion, well over the amount appropriated by Congress.
This significant funding shortfall has introduced severe uncertainty for these small providers and undercuts internet service providers’ ability to execute their plans to rip and replace network equipment. This poses a very significant national security threat and without additional resources, the program cannot fulfill its mandate.
It has never been more important for American telecommunications networks to be employing secure equipment manufactured by trusted vendors in democratic nations. Pending the final review by the FCC of these requests, additional funding will be needed for the FCC to execute Congress’s goal of removing all untrusted network equipment in American telecommunications networks. We expect their work to be completed by June 15, 2022, at which point they will be able to identify what the unmet funding needs are for the program. We look forward to working with you and the FCC to address the SCRP shortfall quickly so we can ensure the security of our networks while preserving connectivity.
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