A newly introduced bipartisan House bill advocates for a national strategy to protect build outs of 5G wireless technology from alleged security threats posed by foreign suppliers, such as Chinese telecom equipment maker Huawei.
The Secure 5G and Beyond Act, sponsored by Rep. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and five other Congressional members, would require the administration to develop an unclassified, national strategy to protect U.S. consumers and assist allies in maximizing the security of their 5G telecommunications systems. The strategy would also promote research and development by U.S. companies to improve broadband access to all Americans.
> Related: The Huawei Banned List -- Countries and Companies, and their Policies for the hardware provider
“The growing prominence of 5G telecommunications systems in China and abroad, particularly through Huawei, should concern all Americans,” said Spanberger. “To protect our national security and maintain our economic strength, we must build a nationwide game plan to strengthen our mobile networks and protect the privacy of American families,” she said. “Safeguarding Americans’ access to the next generation of telecommunications should never be a partisan issue.”
Huawei: 5G Network and Cybersecurity Concerns
Concern over the security from Chinese government surveillance of Huawei’s technology has grown in a number of countries, particularly in the U.S. and U.K. but also in Australia, Canada and Germany. Not only is Huawei barred from bidding for government contracts in the U.S. but Congress has also urged European countries to refrain from using its gear to build new 5G telecom networks.
Specifically, Spanberger's bill would require the administration to build an inter-agency strategy to:
The Secure 5G and Beyond Act is companion legislation to a bill introduced in the Senate by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Richard Burr (R-NC). The Senate version has been referred to the Senate Commerce Committee.
Last week, the Commerce Department added Huawei to its list of blacklisted trade groups. However, it’s not a completely shut door. The agency said on Monday that it had granted a 90-day license for mobile phone companies and internet broadband providers to work with Huawei to keep existing networks online and protect users from security risks. Google promptly said it will send software updates to Huawei phones running on Android until August 19.
The House bill’s additional sponsors include Reps. Susan Brooks (R-IN), Tom O’Halleran (D-AZ), Francis Rooney (R-FL), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), and Elise Stefanik (R-NY). Backers of the proposed legislation appeared to have drawn heavily on a 2018 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) report, Huawei, 5G and China as a Security Threat. The document pointed ominously to Huawei’s growing influence as a provider of 5G technology that could be exploited by Chinese intelligence to spy on foreign corporations and governments. It recommended that non-Chinese companies invest in 5G research and development and suggested that U.S. and European companies rethink using Huawei in build outs of their 5G infrastructure.
A Cyber Guarantee?
Huawei’s chairman Liang Hua said last week that he will sign “no-spy agreements” with foreign governments to reassure skeptical lawmakers in Europe that it will not allow surveillance access into its technology.
Among the latest developments in the Huawei issue:
See all Huawei-related government policy updates on ChannelE2E.
