[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 71 (Friday, April 29, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             TRANSATLANTIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECURITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 27, 2022

  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3344 the 
Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act to direct the Department 
of State and other federal agencies to help Central and Eastern 
European countries improve the security of their telecommunications 
networks.
  To support eligible projects, the State Department shall provide 
diplomatic and political support and encourage international financial 
institutions to provide investment support.
  This bill will strengthen national security cooperation by securing 
5G development with our key allies and partners in Central and Eastern 
Europe.
  In recent years, the United States and our allies have defeated 
increased threats from China and Russia that seek to expand their 
spheres of influence and undermine democratic institutions.
  Recently, European countries have felt significant pressure to use 
Huawei 5G equipment, a state-linked Chinese information and 
communications technology company, giving China the ability to 
compromise allied critical telecommunications infrastructure.
  5G networks are crucial to artificial intelligence platforms, which 
in the future will introduce immense national security and domestic 
economic implications.
  Secure telecommunications are also critical for military 
interoperability with our European allies at a time when NATO 
coordination is needed now more than ever.
  Given these critical national security needs, the United States must 
provide our allies an alternative to Chinese financing and provide 
increased diplomatic support to ensure secure telecommunications lines.
  For this reason, I urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 3344 the 
Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act.

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