H.R. 1717

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1717 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1717

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 16, 2025

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

AN ACT

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council 
to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, 
and interoperability of communications networks, and for other 
purposes.

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 ``Communications Security Act''.

SEC. 2. COUNCIL ON COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY, RELIABILITY, AND 
INTEROPERABILITY.

(a) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Commission shall--
(1) establish a council to advise the Commission on issues 
including the security, reliability, and interoperability of 
communications networks; or
(2) designate for purposes of this section an advisory 
committee of the Commission that is operating on the date of 
the enactment of this Act under a charter for the purpose of 
addressing the issues described in paragraph (1) and, if the 
membership of such committee does not comply with subsection 
(b), modify such membership to comply with such subsection.
(b) Membership.--
(1) Appointment.--The members of the council shall be 
appointed by the Chair.
(2) Composition.--To the extent practicable, the membership 
of the council 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.
(3) Knowledge and experience.--Each member of the council 
shall have knowledge and experience relevant to the purpose and 
goals of the council.
(4) Terms.--
(A) In general.--Each member of the council shall 
be appointed for a term of 2 years, except as provided 
in subparagraph (B).
(B) Vacancies.--Any member appointed to fill a 
vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for 
which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be 
appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member 
may serve after the expiration of that member's term 
until a successor has taken office.
(c) Reports.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
which the council is established or designated (as the case may 
be) under subsection (a), and every 2 years thereafter, the 
council shall submit to the Chair each report adopted by the 
council during the preceding 2-year period, and any report 
adopted by any working group of the council during such period, 
including any such report of the council or a working group 
containing recommendations on ways to increase the security, 
reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, 
and on other relevant issues as appropriate.
(2) Availability on commission website.--The Commission 
shall make each report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly 
available on the website of the Commission.
(d) Duration.--Section 1013(a)(2) of title 5, United States Code 
(relating to the termination of advisory committees) shall not apply to 
the council.
(e) 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) Council.--The term ``council'' means the council 
established under subsection (a)(1) or the advisory committee 
designated under subsection (a)(2), as the case may be.
(4) 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.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such 
term in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 
153).

Passed the House of Representatives July 15, 2025.

Attest:

KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

Clerk.