[House Report 118-506]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


118th Congress }                                          { Report 
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
  2d Session   }                                          { 118-506

======================================================================
 
 FUTURE USES OF TECHNOLOGY UPHOLDING RELIABLE AND ENHANCED NETWORKS ACT

                                _______
                                

  May 14, 2024.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
              State of the Union and ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, from the Committee on Energy and Commerce, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                        [To accompany H.R. 1513]

    The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 
the bill (H.R. 1513) to direct the Federal Communications 
Commission to establish a task force to be known as the ``6G 
Task Force'', and for other purposes, having considered the 
same, reports favorably thereon without amendment and 
recommends that the bill do pass.

                                CONTENTS

                                                                   Page
Purpose and Summary..............................................     1
Background and Need for Legislation..............................     2
Committee Action.................................................     2
Committee Votes..................................................     3
Oversight Findings and Recommendations...........................     5
New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures     5
Congressional Budget Office Estimate.............................     5
Federal Mandates Statement.......................................     5
Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives............     5
Duplication of Federal Programs..................................     5
Related Committee and Subcommittee Hearings......................     5
Committee Cost Estimate..........................................     6
Earmark, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits.......     6
Advisory Committee Statement.....................................     6
Applicability to Legislative Branch..............................     6
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation...................     6
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............     7

                          PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

    H.R. 1513, the ``Future Uses of Technology Upholding 
Reliable and Enhanced Networks Act,'' or the ``FUTURE Networks 
Act'' would direct the Chair of the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) to establish a task force to examine the 
possible uses, strengths, and limitations of sixth-generation 
(6G) wireless technology.

                  BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

    As American consumers are increasingly connecting a broad 
range of devices to our country's wireless communications 
networks, the United States is facing a convergence of multiple 
policy issues related to these networks, including protecting 
them from cybersecurity vulnerabilities and supply chain 
disruptions. For instance, vulnerable internet of things 
devices can be hijacked by third parties to target other parts 
of wireless network infrastructure, exposing these networks to 
risk.\1\ Wireless networks can also be exposed to risk by their 
own network components.\2\ Therefore, the United States must 
remain engaged in the global race to produce innovative new 
wireless technologies, lest the nation be relegated to relying 
on suspect equipment, technologies, or services.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Pete Burke, Protecting critical Internet Infrastructure from IoT 
Device Risks, GCN (Dec. 10, 2018) (https://gcn.com/articles/2018/12/10/
iot-critical-infrastructure.aspx).
    \2\U.S.-China Economic Security Review Commission, Supply Chain 
Vulnerabilities from China in US Federal Information and Communications 
Technology (Apr. 2018).
    \3\Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Though fifth-generation wireless technology is only 
beginning to be utilized, U.S. communications and technology 
companies are already beginning to collaborate and discuss 6G 
wireless technology.\4\ Identifying security and supply chain 
issues, among other things, early in the development of 6G 
wireless technology will help policymakers and the 
telecommunications industry proactively address potential 
problems and limitations with this technology, while keeping 
American innovators on the cutting edge.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \4\Anna Akins, 6G Wireless: What It Is and When It's Coming, S&P 
Global, Market Intelligence (March 4, 2021) (available at 
www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-
headlines/6g-wireless-what-it-is-and-when-it-s-coming-62956538).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                            COMMITTEE ACTION

    On January 11, 2024, the Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology held a hearing on cybersecurity matters. The hearing 
title was ``Safeguarding Americans'' Communications: 
Strengthening Cybersecurity in a Digital Era.'' The 
Subcommittee received testimony from:
           Jim Richberg, Head of Cyber Policy, 
        Fortinet;
           Tobin Richardson, President and CEO, 
        Connectivity Standards Alliance;
           Clete Johnson, Senior Fellow, Center for 
        Strategic and International Studies; and,
           Alan Butler, Executive Director and 
        President, Electronic Privacy Information Center.
    On February 15, 2024, the Subcommittee on Communications 
and Technology held a hearing on H.R. 1513. The title of the 
hearing was ``Securing Communications Networks from Foreign 
Adversaries.'' The Subcommittee received testimony from:
           James Lewis, Senior Vice President, Center 
        for Strategic and International Studies;
           Craig Singleton, China Program Senior 
        Director and Senior Fellow, Foundation of Defense of 
        Democracies; and,
           Lindsay Gorman, Senior Fellow for Emerging 
        Technologies, German Marshall Fund's Alliance for 
        Securing Democracy.
    On March 12, 2024, the Subcommittee on Communications and 
Technology met in open markup session and forwarded H.R. 1513, 
without amendment, to the full Committee by vote of 23 yeas and 
0 nays.
    On March 20, 2024, the full Committee on Energy and 
Commerce met in open markup session and ordered H.R. 1513, 
without amendment, favorably reported to the House by a record 
vote of 44 yeas and 0 nays.

                            COMMITTEE VOTES

    Clause 3(b) of rule XIII requires the Committee to list the 
record votes on the motion to report legislation and amendments 
thereto. The following reflects the record votes taken during 
the Committee consideration:


                 OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

    Pursuant to clause 2(b)(1) of rule X and clause 3(c)(1) of 
rule XIII, the Committee held hearings and made findings that 
are reflected in this report.

              NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY,
                          AND TAX EXPENDITURES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII, the Committee 
finds that H.R. 1513 would result in no new or increased budget 
authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or 
revenues.

                  CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII, at the time this 
report was filed, the cost estimate prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not available.

                       FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

    The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal 
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget 
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform 
Act.

         STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII, the general 
performance goal or objective of this legislation is to 
establish a task force on 6G wireless technology at the Federal 
Communications Commission, to ensure experts, policymakers, and 
other stakeholders can proactively identify and address 
security, supply chain, and other issues in next generation 
wireless networks.

                    DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII, no provision of 
H.R. 1513 is known to be duplicative of another Federal 
program, including any program that was included in a report to 
Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111-139 or the 
most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance.

              RELATED COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE HEARINGS

    Pursuant to clause 3(c)(6) of rule XIII, the following 
related hearings were used to develop or consider H.R. 1513:
           On January 11, 2024, the Subcommittee on 
        Communications and Technology held a hearing on 
        cybersecurity matters. The title of the hearing was 
        ``Safeguarding Americans'' Communications: 
        Strengthening Cybersecurity in a Digital Era.'' The 
        Subcommittee received testimony from:
                   Jim Richberg, Head of Cyber 
                Policy, Fortinet;
                   Tobin Richardson, President and 
                CEO, Connectivity Standards Alliance;
                   Clete Johnson, Senior Fellow, 
                Center for Strategic and International Studies; 
                and
                   Alan Butler, Executive Director 
                and President, Electronic Privacy Information 
                Center.
           On February 15, 2024, the Subcommittee on 
        Communications and Technology held a hearing on H.R. 
        1513. The title of the hearing was ``Securing 
        Communications Networks from Foreign Adversaries.'' The 
        Subcommittee received testimony from:
                   James Lewis, Senior Vice 
                President, Center for Strategic and 
                International Studies;
                   Craig Singleton, China Program 
                Senior Director and Senior Fellow, Foundation 
                of Defense of Democracies; and,
                   Lindsay Gorman, Senior Fellow 
                for Emerging Technologies, German Marshall 
                Fund's Alliance for Securing Democracy.

                        COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

    Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII, the Committee 
adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by the Director of 
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974. At the time this report was 
filed, the estimate was not available.

       EARMARK, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS

    Pursuant to clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of rule XXI, the 
Committee finds that H.R. 1513 contains no earmarks, limited 
tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits.

                      ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

    No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) 
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this 
legislation.

                  APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

    The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to 
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public 
services or accommodations within the meaning of section 
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act.

             SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Short title

    This section would provide that the Act may be cited as the 
``Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced 
Networks Act,'' or the ``FUTURE Networks Act.''

Section 2. 6G Task Force

    Subsection (a) would direct the Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC) to establish, within 120 days, a task force 
(Task Force) on sixth-generation (6G) wireless technology.
    Subsection (b) would direct the Chair of the FCC to appoint 
members to the Task Force, which, to the extent practicable, 
shall be composed of representatives from companies in the 
communications industry, except those companies determined by 
the Chair to be not trusted; representatives from public 
interest or academia, except from organizations or institutions 
determined by the Chair to be not trusted; and representatives 
from the Federal government, state and local governments, or 
Tribal governments.
    Subsection (c) would require the Task Force to publish, 
within one-year after the date of enactment, a report on 6G 
wireless technology addressing a number of issues, including 
the status of any industry-led standards-setting bodies working 
on 6G standards; identification of the limitations of 6G 
technology, including supply chain and cybersecurity concerns, 
identified by industry-led standard-setting bodies; possible 
uses of 6G technology as identified by industry-led standard-
setting bodies; and how to best work with Federal, State, 
local, and Tribal governments on using 6G technology, including 
with respect to siting, deployment, and adoption.
    The legislation also would require that a draft of the 
report be published for public comment not later than 180 days 
after the Task Force is established under subsection (a). The 
Task Force would be required to publish the draft report in the 
Federal Register and on the FCC's website. The final report 
also must be published in the Federal Register and on the FCC's 
website one year after the Task Force is established and 
submitted to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House 
of Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the United States Senate.
    Subsection (d) would define terms used in the legislation, 
including ``not trusted.''

         CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

    This legislation does not amend any existing Federal 
statute.

                                  [all]