H.R. 2881House116th Congress (2019-2021)Passed House

Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020

Introduced May 21, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 5:29 AM UTC

The Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020 directs the President to create a national strategy and an implementation plan to protect the security of 5G and future wireless networks in the United States. The strategy must also help U.S. allies and strategic partners improve the security of their own next‑generation wireless systems. It involves coordination among multiple federal agencies, public consultation, and reporting to Congress.

Key Provisions

  • Within 180 days of enactment, the President must develop and submit a "National Strategy to Secure 5G and Next Generation Wireless Communications" to designated congressional committees.
  • The strategy must cover domestic rollout, risk assessment, protection of national security, and promotion of secure international standards and cooperation.
  • A detailed implementation plan, also due within 180 days, must identify security threats, evaluate domestic and allied suppliers, propose incentives to close supply‑chain gaps, and outline diplomatic and private‑sector engagement.
  • The plan must include public comment (within 60 days) and an unclassified briefing to Congress (within 21 days of plan completion).
  • The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is tasked with carrying out the strategy, keeping Congress informed, and ensuring any spectrum proposals are approved by the FCC.
  • The Act explicitly prohibits any recommendation to nationalize 5G or future wireless infrastructure.

Legislative Activity

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21 earlier actions
SenateCalendars Latest Action

Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 403.

January 9, 2020

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

May 21, 2019

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

May 21, 2019

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

May 22, 2019

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

September 27, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

October 30, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

October 30, 2019

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

November 14, 2019

HouseCommittee

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended) by Voice Vote .

November 14, 2019

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

November 20, 2019

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

November 20, 2019

HouseCommittee

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 116-369, Part I.

January 7, 2020

HouseCommittee

Committee on Foreign Affairs discharged.

January 7, 2020

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 292.

January 7, 2020

HouseFloor

Mr. Doyle, Michael F. moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

January 8, 2020 • 4:07 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H43-46)

January 8, 2020 • 4:07 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2881.

January 8, 2020 • 4:07 PM

HouseFloor

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

January 8, 2020 • 4:17 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H50-51)

January 8, 2020 • 5:18 PM

HouseFloor

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 3 (Roll no. 4).(text: CR H44)

January 8, 2020 • 5:26 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 413 - 3 (Roll no. 4). (text: CR H44)

January 8, 2020 • 5:26 PM

HouseFloor

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

January 8, 2020 • 5:26 PM

SenateCalendars

Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 403.

January 9, 2020

Bill Text

4 versions available

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Latest
Placed on Calendar SenateIssued January 9, 2020

II

Calendar No. 403

116th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 2881

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

January 9, 2020

Received; read twice and placed on the calendar

AN ACT

To require the President to develop a strategy to ensure the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure in the United States and to assist allies and strategic partners in maximizing the security of next generation mobile telecommunications systems, infrastructure, and software, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2020.

2.

Strategy to ensure security of next generation wireless communications systems and infrastructure

(a)

Appropriate committees of congress defined

In this Act, the term appropriate committees of Congress means—

(1)

the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate; and

(2)

the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.

(b)

Strategy required

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, the Secretary of Commerce, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, the Attorney General, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of Defense, and consistent with the protection of national security information, shall develop and submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a strategy—

(1)

to ensure the security of 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure within the United States;

(2)

to assist mutual defense treaty allies of the United States, strategic partners of the United States, and other countries, when in the security and strategic interests of the United States, in maximizing the security of 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure inside their countries; and

(3)

to protect the competitiveness of United States companies, privacy of United States consumers, and integrity and impartiality of standards-setting bodies and processes related to 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure.

(c)

Designation

The strategy developed under subsection (b) shall be known as the National Strategy to Secure 5G and Next Generation Wireless Communications (referred to in this Act as the Strategy).

(d)

Elements

The Strategy shall represent a whole-of-government approach and shall include the following:

(1)

A description of efforts to facilitate domestic 5th and future generations wireless communications rollout.

(2)

A description of efforts to assess the risks to and identify core security principles of 5th and future generations wireless communications infrastructure.

(3)

A description of efforts to address risks to United States and national security during development and deployment of 5th and future generations wireless communications infrastructure worldwide.

(4)

A description of efforts to promote responsible global development and deployment of 5th and future generations wireless communications, including through robust international engagement, leadership in the development of international standards, and incentivizing market competitiveness of secure 5th and future generation wireless communications infrastructure options.

(e)

Public Consultation

In developing the Strategy, the President shall consult with relevant groups that represent consumers or the public interest, private sector communications providers, and communications infrastructure and systems equipment developers.

3.

Strategy implementation plan

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall develop an implementation plan for the Strategy (referred to in this Act as the Strategy implementation plan), which shall include, at a minimum, the following:

(1)

A description of United States national and economic security interests pertaining to the deployment of 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure.

(2)

An identification and assessment of potential security threats and vulnerabilities to the infrastructure, equipment, systems, software, and virtualized networks that support 5th and future generations wireless communications systems, infrastructure, and enabling technologies. The assessment shall, as practicable, include a comprehensive evaluation of the full range of threats to, and unique security challenges posed by, 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure, as well as steps that public and private sector entities can take to mitigate those threats.

(3)

An evaluation of available domestic suppliers of 5th and future generations wireless communications equipment and other suppliers in countries that are mutual defense allies or strategic partners of the United States and a strategy to assess their ability to produce and supply 5th generation and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure.

(4)

Identification of where security gaps exist in the United States domestic or mutual defense treaty allies and strategic partners communications equipment supply chain for 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure.

(5)

Identification of incentives and policy options to help close or narrow any security gaps identified under paragraph (4) in the United States domestic industrial base, including research and development in critical technologies and workforce development in 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure.

(6)

Identification of incentives and policy options for leveraging the communications equipment suppliers from mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries to ensure that private industry in the United States has adequate sources for secure, effective, and reliable 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure equipment.

(7)

A plan for diplomatic engagement with mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries to share security risk information and findings pertaining to 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure equipment and cooperation on mitigating those risks.

(8)

A plan for engagement with private sector communications infrastructure and systems equipment developers and critical infrastructure owners and operators who have a critical dependency on communications infrastructure to share information and findings on 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure equipment standards to secure platforms.

(9)

A plan for engagement with private sector communications infrastructure and systems equipment developers to encourage the maximum participation possible on standards-setting bodies related to such systems and infrastructure equipment standards by public and private sector entities from the United States.

(10)

A plan for diplomatic engagement with mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries to share information and findings on 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure equipment standards to promote maximum interoperability, competitiveness, openness, and secure platforms.

(11)

A plan for diplomatic engagement with mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries to share information and findings on 5th and future generations wireless communications infrastructure and systems equipment concerning the standards-setting bodies related to such systems and infrastructure equipment to promote maximum transparency, openness, impartiality, integrity, and neutrality.

(12)

A plan for joint testing environments with mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries to ensure a trusted marketplace for 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure equipment.

(13)

A plan for research and development by the Federal Government, in close partnership with trusted supplier entities, mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries to reach and maintain United States leadership in 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure security, including the development of an ongoing capability to identify security vulnerabilities in 5th and future generations wireless communications systems.

(14)

Options for identifying and helping to mitigate the security risks of 5th and future generations wireless communications systems and infrastructure that have security flaws or vulnerabilities, or are utilizing equipment sourced from countries of concern, and that have already been put in place within the systems and infrastructure of mutual defense treaty allies, strategic partners, and other countries, when in the security interests of the United States.

(15)

A description of the roles and responsibilities of the appropriate executive branch agencies and interagency mechanisms to coordinate implementation of the Strategy, as provided in section 4(d).

(16)

An identification of the key diplomatic, development, intelligence, military, and economic resources necessary to implement the Strategy, including specific budgetary requests.

(17)

As necessary, a description of such legislative or administrative action needed to carry out the Strategy.

4.

Limitations and briefings

(a)

Limitations

(1)

In general

The Strategy and the Strategy implementation plan shall not include a recommendation or a proposal to nationalize 5th or future generations wireless communications systems or infrastructure.

(2)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit the authority or ability of any executive branch agency.

(b)

Public comment

Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President shall seek public comment regarding the development and implementation of the Strategy implementation plan.

(c)

Briefing

(1)

In general

Not later than 21 days after the date on which the Strategy implementation plan is completed, the President shall direct appropriate representatives from the executive branch agencies involved in the formulation of the Strategy and Strategy implementation plan to provide the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the implementation of the Strategy.

(2)

Unclassified setting

The briefing under paragraph (1) shall be held in an unclassified setting to the maximum extent possible.

(d)

Implementation

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration shall, in coordination with other relevant executive branch agencies—

(1)

implement the Strategy;

(2)

keep congressional committees apprised of progress on implementation; and

(3)

not implement any proposal or recommendation involving spectrum licensed by the Commission unless the implementation of such proposal or recommendation is first approved by the Commission.

(e)

Form

The Strategy and Strategy implementation plan shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

Passed the House of Representatives January 8, 2020.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk

January 9, 2020

Received; read twice and placed on the calendar