[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 206 (Tuesday, November 30, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H6689-H6690]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 4045) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to
establish a task force to be known as the ``6G Task Force'', and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 4045
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 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 New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
General Leave
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on H.R. 4045.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New Jersey?
There was no objection.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4045, the FUTURE
Networks Act. Even as we await the full deployment and utilization of
fifth generation, or 5G, wireless networks, U.S. communications and
technology companies are collaborating on the next generation of
networks; specifically, 6G networks.
We may not be able to predict now the technological innovation that
will come with these networks, but based on our Nation's experience to
this point, we can foresee the issues that will need to be addressed to
get 6G networks off the ground. Issues like supply chain availability,
security, and equality in deployment and adoption will all need to be
reviewed and resolved; and, therefore, it is not too early for
government and relevant stakeholders to begin discussing these issues
now. That is the goal of H.R. 4045, the FUTURE Networks Act.
This bipartisan legislation would require the FCC to convene a task
force to examine relevant 6G issues. The task force will be made up of
stakeholders from industry, public interest organizations, academic
institutions, and relevant Federal, State, local, and Tribal Government
representatives.
Finding agreed-upon approaches and solutions to these issues now will
make for a smoother transition in the future.
I want to thank our Communications and Technology Subcommittee
chairman, Mike Doyle, as well as Representatives Johnson and McBath,
for their bipartisan leadership on this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support it today, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4045, the FUTURE
Networks Act, which was introduced by Representatives Doyle, Johnson,
and McBath.
This legislation will establish a task force at the Federal
Communications Commission to follow industry-led progress in the
development of 6G. The task force will be required to publish a report
on the status of industry-led standards development, possible use-cases
of 6G technology, and how best to facilitate the siting and
infrastructure deployment of 6G technology.
While many parts of our country are waiting to see the new use-cases
that 5G will drive, trusted vendors--including American companies--are
leading the way on the fundamental aspects that will inform 6G. As the
private sector identifies the contours of what this next generation of
technology will look like, we must make sure that our regulatory
environment will facilitate investment and innovation.
Republicans on the Energy and Commerce Committee have been
spearheading efforts to deploy mobile
[[Page H6690]]
broadband like 5G and eventually 6G across the country through the
Boosting Broadband Connectivity Agenda. I appreciate the majority
including provisions in this bill to support comprehensive broadband
deployment solutions to expand connectivity and fuel wireless
innovation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Michael F. Doyle), who is the chairman
of our Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.
Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support
of the FUTURE Networks Act, which is a bill that I have introduced,
along with my friends, Representatives Lucy McBath and Bill Johnson.
Our Nation's wireless networks are constantly evolving, bringing more
innovative services and connectivity to our constituents. Over my time
in Congress, I have watched wireless networks transform from the first
iterations of digital technology to 3G, then 4G, and now 5G networks
with achievable speeds well over 1 gigabit.
While these innovations have been extraordinary, the benefits have
not flowed to all Americans equally, and we have seen related policy
issues that have necessitated congressional action and regulatory steps
from the FCC. To ensure that all Americans benefit from the next
generation of wireless technology, 6G, we need to be considering it
now.
The FUTURE Networks Act will require the Federal Communications
Commission to create a 6G task force with members appointed by the
chair and comprising representatives from trusted companies, public
interest groups, and government representatives at every level of
government, including Tribes. The mandate of the task force would be to
report on possible uses, strengths, and limitations of 6G, including
any supply chain, cybersecurity, or other limitations that would need
to be addressed as the wireless technology evolves.
This bill would lay the groundwork for the policy considerations that
will certainly arise, and it is good, forward-looking governance.
I want to thank the cosponsors for their efforts on the bill,
Representatives Lucy McBath and Bill Johnson, and my bipartisan
colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for their input and
support to strengthen this measure throughout the process.
Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the FUTURE
Networks Act.
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge bipartisan support for this bill,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4045, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this motion
are postponed.
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