Biden signs legislation to secure telecommunications systems against potential foreign threats News
© WikiMedia (The White House)
Biden signs legislation to secure telecommunications systems against potential foreign threats

US President Joe Biden Thursday signed into law legislation designed to secure telecommunications systems against potential foreign threats.

The new law, known as the Secure Equipment Act, will ban the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from considering or issuing authorization for products made by companies on the FCC’s “covered list.” This list includes Chinese telecommunications groups Huawei and ZTE. This list also includes Hytera Communications Corporation, Handzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company, and Dahua Technology Company.

Over the past year, the US has been increasingly restricting foreign telecommunications companies, particularly those from China. In June, a federal appeals court ruled against Huawei’s plea to vacate a rule by the FCC under which the FCC designated Huawei and its American affiliate as a “national security risk.” The rule barred recipients of subsidies from the federal government from using the funds to buy equipment or services from companies designated “national security risks.”

Huawei and other Chinese technology companies, including Hytera, Hikvision, and Dahua, published comments in September opposing the FCC’s proposed rulemaking that would restrict the use of China-made technology. In October, the FCC adopted an order ending China Telecom (Americas) Corporation’s ability to operate in the United States. The FCC directed China Telecom to discontinue any domestic or international services that it provided within sixty days of the order pursuant to Section 214 of the Communications Act of 1934.

The bill was passed by the Senate by voice vote in October, and the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 420-4.

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