SECURE SPACE ACT OF 2026

On 2026-09-23, Senator Cynthia M. Lummis (R-WY) delivered a floor speech titled "SECURE SPACE ACT OF 2026" in the Senate.

SECURE SPACE ACT OF 2026

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 151 (Wednesday, September 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 151 (Wednesday, September 23, 2026)] [Senate] [Page S4956] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] SECURE SPACE ACT OF 2026 Ms. LUMMIS. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 557, S. 1962. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title. The legislative clerk read as follows: A bill (S. 1962) to amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes. There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, which was reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with an amendment to strike all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic, as follows: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Space Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON GRANT OF CERTAIN SATELLITE LICENSES, UNITED STATES MARKET ACCESS, OR EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATIONS. (a) In General.--The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended-- (1) by redesignating sections 10 and 11 as sections 11 and 12, respectively; and (2) by inserting after section 9 the following: ``SEC. 10. PROHIBITION ON GRANT OF CERTAIN SATELLITE LICENSES, UNITED STATES MARKET ACCESS, OR EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATIONS. ``(a) Definitions.--In this section: ``(1) Affiliate.-- ``(A) In general.--The term `affiliate' means an entity that (directly or indirectly) owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, another entity. ``(B) Own.--For purposes of this paragraph, the term `own' means to have, possess, or otherwise control an equity interest (or the equivalent thereof) of not less than 10 percent. ``(2) Blanket-licensed earth station.--The term `blanket- licensed earth station' means an earth station that is licensed with a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system. ``(3) Gateway station.--The term `gateway station' means an earth station or a group of earth stations that-- ``(A) supports the routing and switching functions of a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system; ``(B) may also be used for telemetry, tracking, and command transmissions; ``(C) does not originate or terminate communication traffic; and ``(D) is not for the exclusive use of any customer. ``(4) Individually licensed earth station.--The term `individually licensed earth station' means-- ``(A) an earth station (other than a blanket-licensed earth station) that sends a signal to, and receives a signal from, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system; or ``(B) a gateway station. ``(b) Prohibition.--The Commission may not grant a license for, or a petition for a declaratory ruling to access the United States market using, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by-- ``(1) an entity identified on the list published by the Commission under section 2(a); or ``(2) an affiliate of an entity described in paragraph (1). ``(c) Further Consideration for Secured Networks.-- ``(1) In general.--The Commission may issue a report assessing supply chain security risks associated with any earth station licensee, geostationary orbit satellite system licensee, nongeostationary orbit satellite system licensee, or entity granted a declaratory ruling to access the United States market using a geostationary orbit satellite system or nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an affiliate of such a licensee or entity, that provides communications equipment designed, developed, manufactured, or assembled by an entity identified on the list published by the Commission under section 2(a). ``(2) Rule of construction.--Nothing in paragraph (1) shall be construed to expand or contract the authority of the Commission.''. (b) Applicability.--Section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to the grant of a license, petition, or authorization on or after the date of enactment of this Act. (c) Rules.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall issue rules to implement section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a). Ms. LUMMIS. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendment be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the committee-reported title amendment be agreed to, and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The committee-reported amendment, in the nature of a substitute, was agreed to. The bill (S. 1962), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading, was read the third time, and passed. The committee-reported title amendment was agreed to as follows: Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity identified on the Covered List or an affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.''. ____________________

Referenced legislation: S1962, S1962