Floor SpeechBipartisan2025-04-28

FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT

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Context

On 2025-04-28, Representative Doris O. Matsui (D-CA-7) delivered a floor speech titled "FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT" in the House.

Full Text

FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1663-H1665] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2449) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a task force to be known as the ``6G Task Force'', and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2449 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced Networks Act'' or the ``FUTURE Networks Act''. SEC. 2. 6G TASK FORCE. (a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish a task force to be known as the ``6G Task Force''. (b) Membership.-- (1) Appointment.--The members of the Task Force shall be appointed by the Chair. (2) Composition.--To the extent practicable, the membership of the Task Force shall be composed of the following: (A) Representatives of companies in the communications industry, except companies that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted. (B) Representatives of public interest organizations or academic institutions, except public interest organizations or academic institutions that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted. (C) Representatives of the Federal Government, State governments, local governments, or Tribal Governments, with at least one member representing each such type of government. (c) Report.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Task Force is established under subsection (a), the Task Force shall publish in the Federal Register and on the website of the Commission, and submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and [[Page H1664]] Transportation of the Senate, a report on sixth-generation wireless technology, including-- (A) the status of industry-led standards-setting bodies in setting standards for such technology; (B) possible uses of such technology identified by industry-led standards-setting bodies that are setting standards for such technology; (C) any limitations of such technology (including any supply chain or cybersecurity limitations) identified by industry-led standards-setting bodies that are setting standards for such technology; and (D) how to best work with entities across the Federal Government, State governments, local governments, and Tribal Governments to leverage such technology, including with regard to siting, deployment, and adoption. (2) Draft report; public comment.--The Task Force shall-- (A) not later than 180 days after the date on which the Task Force is established under subsection (a), publish in the Federal Register and on the website of the Commission a draft of the report required by paragraph (1); and (B) accept public comments on such draft and take such comments into consideration in preparing the final version of such report. (d) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Chair.--The term ``Chair'' means the Chair of the Commission. (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal Communications Commission. (3) Not trusted.-- (A) In general.--The term ``not trusted'' means, with respect to an entity, that-- (i) the Chair has made a public determination that such entity is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the influence of a foreign adversary; or (ii) the Chair otherwise determines that such entity poses a threat to the national security of the United States. (B) Criteria for determination.--In making a determination under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Chair shall use the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)), as appropriate. (4) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153). (5) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the 6G Task Force established under subsection (a). The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida. General Leave Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on this particular bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida? There was no objection. Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 2449, the FUTURE Networks Act led by Representative Matsui and Representative Allen. United States leadership in 6G technology is critical for both our economic and national security. This bill would direct the FCC to establish a 6G Task Force made up of both public and private-sector participants to develop a report on the standards development process and possible uses of sixth-generation technology. This task force will ensure that the United States has a unified position to cement our leadership in 6G, which is so critical. This legislation has strong bipartisan support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2449, the FUTURE Networks Act. This bipartisan legislation is an important step to protect Americans and our communication networks from threats posed by rapidly evolving next-generation technologies. It also ensures that the standards used to build technological advancements are designed from the start to be safe and secure. H.R. 2449 establishes a task force at the Federal Communications Commission to study sixth-generation, or 6G, technologies to identify potential supply chain and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The task force will include government, public interest advocates, academics, and industry. The United States leads the world in the innovation of secure and resilient next-generation technologies, a position congressional Democrats have fought hard to sustain. Among other things, House Democrats have worked to increase the safety of our networks and supply chains by examining the security of mobile networks and educate consumers about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and risks. The FUTURE Networks Act is yet another important step to support America's leadership in a secure and reliable future. By directing the FCC to engage in the exploration of 6G technology in the early stages of development, the FUTURE Networks Act will enable American values to be embedded within the global framework for this technology and to ensure it will be available to all Americans. I thank Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Matsui and Representatives Allen and Walberg for their bipartisan work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2449, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen.) Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Florida, Mr. Bilirakis, for yielding. As vice chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I rise today in support of the bipartisan FUTURE Networks Act, which I proudly introduced with my colleagues, Representative Matsui and Representative Walberg. This commonsense legislation would direct the FCC to bring together industry leaders, public interest groups, and government experts to establish a 6G Task Force. As we all know, 6G is the future of telecommunications, and we must ensure that the United States is a global leader in this emerging technology. Failure to do so would put our adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party, in the driver's seat. We cannot allow that to happen. I come from the world of business and just like in business we want the best, most qualified individuals to have a seat at the table. By establishing a 6G Task Force, we can bring together America's brightest industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to collaborate on the future deployment of 6G and strengthening our wireless networks. This is a matter of economic and national security. I was proud to help lead the FUTURE Networks Act this Congress. I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2449. Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), the ranking member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee. Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Dingell for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the FUTURE Networks Act, and I thank Representatives Allen and Walberg for our joint effort in making this a very bipartisan bill. I introduced this bill to ensure America continues our leadership and standard setting in the global technology race. Mr. Speaker, 6G is going to be a global evolution in the way we communicate. If we lead the race for next-generation wireless, then this global technology will be based on our values, democracy, open markets, and transparency. If we fall behind, our foreign adversaries will have a new way to expand their reach. That means less openness, less security, and more top-down control. This risk is real. Already, China is leading in the 6G patent race, filing about 35 percent of patents globally. To stay the global leader, America must invest in innovation and convene our best and brightest to map the road ahead. This is increasingly t

Referenced legislation: HR2449, HR2449

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FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 70 (Monday, April 28, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1663-H1665] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2449) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a task force to be known as the ``6G Task Force'', and for other purposes. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2449 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced Networks Act'' or the ``FUTURE Networks Act''. SEC. 2. 6G TASK FORCE. (a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish a task force to be known as the ``6G Task Force''. (b) Membership.-- (1) Appointment.--The members of the Task Force shall be appointed by the Chair. (2) Composition.--To the extent practicable, the membership of the Task Force shall be composed of the following: (A) Representatives of companies in the communications industry, except companies that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted. (B) Representatives of public interest organizations or academic institutions, except public interest organizations or academic institutions that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted. (C) Representatives of the Federal Government, State governments, local governments, or Tribal Governments, with at least one member representing each such type of government. (c) Report.-- (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the Task Force is established under subsection (a), the Task Force shall publish in the Federal Register and on the website of the Commission, and submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and [[Page H1664]] Transportation of the Senate, a report on sixth-generation wireless technology, including-- (A) the status of industry-led standards-setting bodies in setting standards for such technology; (B) possible uses of such technology identified by industry-led standards-setting bodies that are setting standards for such technology; (C) any limitations of such technology (including any supply chain or cybersecurity limitations) identified by industry-led standards-setting bodies that are setting standards for such technology; and (D) how to best work with entities across the Federal Government, State governments, local governments, and Tribal Governments to leverage such technology, including with regard to siting, deployment, and adoption. (2) Draft report; public comment.--The Task Force shall-- (A) not later than 180 days after the date on which the Task Force is established under subsection (a), publish in the Federal Register and on the website of the Commission a draft of the report required by paragraph (1); and (B) accept public comments on such draft and take such comments into consideration in preparing the final version of such report. (d) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Chair.--The term ``Chair'' means the Chair of the Commission. (2) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal Communications Commission. (3) Not trusted.-- (A) In general.--The term ``not trusted'' means, with respect to an entity, that-- (i) the Chair has made a public determination that such entity is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the influence of a foreign adversary; or (ii) the Chair otherwise determines that such entity poses a threat to the national security of the United States. (B) Criteria for determination.--In making a determination under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Chair shall use the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)), as appropriate. (4) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153). (5) Task force.--The term ``Task Force'' means the 6G Task Force established under subsection (a). The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Bilirakis) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida. General Leave Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on this particular bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Florida? There was no objection. Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill, H.R. 2449, the FUTURE Networks Act led by Representative Matsui and Representative Allen. United States leadership in 6G technology is critical for both our economic and national security. This bill would direct the FCC to establish a 6G Task Force made up of both public and private-sector participants to develop a report on the standards development process and possible uses of sixth-generation technology. This task force will ensure that the United States has a unified position to cement our leadership in 6G, which is so critical. This legislation has strong bipartisan support. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2449, the FUTURE Networks Act. This bipartisan legislation is an important step to protect Americans and our communication networks from threats posed by rapidly evolving next-generation technologies. It also ensures that the standards used to build technological advancements are designed from the start to be safe and secure. H.R. 2449 establishes a task force at the Federal Communications Commission to study sixth-generation, or 6G, technologies to identify potential supply chain and cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The task force will include government, public interest advocates, academics, and industry. The United States leads the world in the innovation of secure and resilient next-generation technologies, a position congressional Democrats have fought hard to sustain. Among other things, House Democrats have worked to increase the safety of our networks and supply chains by examining the security of mobile networks and educate consumers about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and risks. The FUTURE Networks Act is yet another important step to support America's leadership in a secure and reliable future. By directing the FCC to engage in the exploration of 6G technology in the early stages of development, the FUTURE Networks Act will enable American values to be embedded within the global framework for this technology and to ensure it will be available to all Americans. I thank Communications and Technology Subcommittee Ranking Member Matsui and Representatives Allen and Walberg for their bipartisan work on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2449, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BILIRAKIS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen.) Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Florida, Mr. Bilirakis, for yielding. As vice chairman of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, I rise today in support of the bipartisan FUTURE Networks Act, which I proudly introduced with my colleagues, Representative Matsui and Representative Walberg. This commonsense legislation would direct the FCC to bring together industry leaders, public interest groups, and government experts to establish a 6G Task Force. As we all know, 6G is the future of telecommunications, and we must ensure that the United States is a global leader in this emerging technology. Failure to do so would put our adversaries, like the Chinese Communist Party, in the driver's seat. We cannot allow that to happen. I come from the world of business and just like in business we want the best, most qualified individuals to have a seat at the table. By establishing a 6G Task Force, we can bring together America's brightest industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to collaborate on the future deployment of 6G and strengthening our wireless networks. This is a matter of economic and national security. I was proud to help lead the FUTURE Networks Act this Congress. I strongly encourage all of my colleagues to support H.R. 2449. Mrs. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Matsui), the ranking member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee. Ms. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Dingell for yielding me time. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the FUTURE Networks Act, and I thank Representatives Allen and Walberg for our joint effort in making this a very bipartisan bill. I introduced this bill to ensure America continues our leadership and standard setting in the global technology race. Mr. Speaker, 6G is going to be a global evolution in the way we communicate. If we lead the race for next-generation wireless, then this global technology will be based on our values, democracy, open markets, and transparency. If we fall behind, our foreign adversaries will have a new way to expand their reach. That means less openness, less security, and more top-down control. This risk is real. Already, China is leading in the 6G patent race, filing about 35 percent of patents globally. To stay the global leader, America must invest in innovation and convene our best and brightest to map the road ahead. This is increasingly t Referenced legislation: HR2449, HR2449