[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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