[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 120 (Monday, July 14, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H3217-H3218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
OPEN RAN OUTREACH ACT
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2037) to provide outreach and technical assistance to small
providers regarding Open RAN networks, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2037
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 ``Open RAN Outreach Act''.
SEC. 2. OUTREACH AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL PROVIDERS
REGARDING OPEN RAN NETWORKS.
(a) In General.--The Assistant Secretary shall conduct
outreach and provide technical assistance to small
communications network providers--
(1) to raise awareness regarding the uses, benefits, and
challenges of Open RAN networks and other open network
architectures; and
(2) regarding participation in the Wireless Supply Chain
Innovation Grant Program established under section 9202(a)(1)
of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283).
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
and Information, acting through the head of the Office of
Internet Connectivity and Growth.
(2) Open network architecture.--The term ``open network
architecture'' means Open RAN networks and other network
elements that follow a set of published open standards for
multi-vendor network equipment interoperability, including
open core and open transport.
(3) Open ran network.--The term ``Open RAN network'' means
a wireless network that follows the Open Radio Access Network
architecture and published open standards for multi-vendor
network equipment interoperability.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Latta) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
general leave
Mr. LATTA. 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 in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach
Act, led by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson), who is the
chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr.
Carter), who represents the Second District.
This legislation helps pave the way for greater U.S. competition with
China by promoting technology that encourages vendor diversity.
Specifically, this legislation requires NTIA to provide support to all
of our small and rural communications providers that want to deploy
Open RAN technology. Promoting a more competitive market of trusted
vendors to provide 5G equipment remains an important strategic
component to protect U.S. networks.
As an open network infrastructure, Open RAN technology can help
diversify communications technology by allowing multiple components
from multiple manufacturers. This bill will give small and rural
providers important information and support to deploy Open RAN
technologies if providers would like to implement this technology in
their networks.
This legislation has a strong history of bipartisan support in the
Committee on Energy and Commerce and passed the full committee in April
by voice vote.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2037, and I reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), a member of our committee.
Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone
for yielding the time.
I stand in strong support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act. I
am proud to introduce this bipartisan Open RAN Outreach Act with
Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina. I am grateful that the
full House is considering this bill.
Today's bill is an example of what bipartisanship can look like on
the Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill provides greater Federal
support for small telecommunications companies in rural and
disadvantaged communities to help these companies improve their
networks and remove potentially insecure Chinese network hardware.
Specifically, this bill directs the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration to provide outreach and technical assistance
to small
[[Page H3218]]
communications network providers about the benefits of transitioning to
Open Radio Access Networks, or Open RAN or ORAN technologies.
It is imperative that telecommunications providers of all sizes are
aware of and have access to cutting-edge technologies. It is also the
case that this bill promotes U.S. technological innovations and
competitiveness and, most importantly, our national security.
While I am proud to be a part of this effort, I would be remiss in
not highlighting that programs like the wireless supply chain
innovation grant program may be negatively affected by reconciliation
decisions made by the administration.
This is a pivotal step toward strengthening our Nation's
telecommunications infrastructure. By providing technical assistance
and outreach to small telecommunications providers, especially in rural
areas, this bill opens the door to a more secure, diverse, and
competitive wireless network landscape.
The shift to Open RAN technology not only enhances national security
by reducing reliance on foreign-made equipment but also boosts American
manufacturing and fosters innovation in 5G and 6G.
The bill ensures that rural communities are no longer left behind in
the race for cutting-edge technology, driving down costs and empowering
smaller carriers to build stronger, more resilient networks.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to pass the Open RAN Outreach
Act.
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared
to close at this time. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN
Outreach Act.
Open RAN, or Open Radio Access Network, technology is a wireless
network architecture that has the potential to drive 5G and 6G
innovation forward. Like any new technology, we are just beginning to
broadly deploy it, as there is still much to learn about its potential.
This is especially true for smaller communications providers who must
be prudent about their resources and refrain from taking unnecessary
risks in introducing new technology into their networks.
We know Open RAN can both help introduce competition into a market
that is currently dominated by untrusted equipment makers, like Huawei,
and support the development of new trusted manufacturers, including
those in the United States.
This bill helps bridge a gap by providing small communications
providers with the support they need to determine whether Open RAN is
an appropriate network solution for them. Under this bill, the
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information will
be required to engage in outreach and provide technical assistance to
small communications providers concerning the uses, benefits, and
challenges of Open RAN and other open network architectures.
This bill would also require the Assistant Secretary to provide
guidance to small carriers about their participation in the agency's
Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund.
Sadly, with the passage of the one big, ugly bill, the need for this
guidance is significantly diminished, as congressional Republicans
inexplicably gutted this program by withdrawing $850 million in
funding. It is deeply disappointing that congressional Republicans
would rather use this money to give tax cuts to billionaires than
develop creative solutions to protect our wireless networks from
foreign adversaries seeking to harm our Nation.
Nevertheless, I commend Representatives Carter and Hudson for their
bipartisan work on this bill. This is a good bill, as it ensures that
our country's small communications providers have the necessary tools
to make informed decisions about the need for new technology in their
networks.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I also urge Members of the House to support
this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
{time} 1550
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Latta) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2037, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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