Promoting United States International Leadership in 5G Act of 2021

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important bipartisan legislation, the Promoting United States International Leadership in 5G Act.

Mr. Speaker, the Chinese Communist Party does not hide the fact that they will do whatever it takes to become the prominent global power, especially by taking control of the world's 5G networks. The CCP's espionage tactics, theft of U.S. intellectual property, and cyber hacking threaten our national security and our competitiveness in the international community. Allowing the CCP to establish the global standards for 5G and push countries to adopt 5G technology from CCP- linked companies like Huawei will only increase the amount of control and influence that the CCP has globally.

This bill provides increased cooperation between the United States and our allies to identify and counter security risks posed by Chinese Communist Party-linked companies in 5G. In addition, the bill requires the State Department to develop a diplomatic strategy to increase engagement with partners at the international standards setting bodies, such as the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, which sets global standards for technologies such as 5G.

There is an important upcoming election at the ITU which will decide the future of global telecommunications for years to come. It is imperative that we pass this bill today so that the United States and our allies can put up a united front against a Russian- and CCP-aligned candidate for Secretary General of the ITU. Russia's campaign to elect a Russian national, who is a former Huawei executive, to serve as the secretary general of the ITU is indicative of Russia's and China's efforts to use the international organization to promote their interests and malign influence.

The United States should ensure that we are coordinated in driving support for the United States candidate, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, for the Secretary General of the ITU, but the State Department should also be engaging on the important down-ballot races at the ITU.

There are four other posts of significance within the ITU's leadership structure, including the director of the ITU Development Sector, ITU-D. The ITU-D plays a particularly vital role in

supporting multilateral cooperation for fair and open internet governance through trustworthy deployment of digital technologies in the developing world. The United States must be doing everything we can to ensure Russian and Chinese malign influence does not grow. This bill will help.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I thank Ranking Member Mike McCaul and Representative Cuellar for their work on this legislation. This bill will help ensure that the United States is doing all we can to stop Russian and Chinese malign influence taking control of the world's 5G networks.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1934, the ``Promoting United States International Leadership in 5G Act of 2021''.

H.R. 1934 will enhance the United States' leadership in setting standards for 5G--or 5th generation--and future evolutions of mobile telecomunications systems and infrastructure.

I would like to thank my colleague, Representative McCaul, for introducing this legislation and taking initiative in addressing the rising importance of 5G standards.

Under H.R. 1934, the President will establish an interagency working group consisting of the Sectretary of State and the head of each Federal department deemed appropriate.

Within 180 days, the interagency working group will provide a briefing to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Senate Committee on Foreign Relations that will include:

A strategy to promote United States leadership in international standards-setting bodies;

A strategy for diplomatic engagement regarding 5G and future generations of mobile telecommunications systems;

A discussion of China's activity in international standards-setting bodies; and

A strategy regarding private sector communications and stakeholders to propose standards for 5G.

Standards are crucial in the future of telecommunications by allowing for global interoperability.

Global interoperability allows companies to market products around the globe, increase innovation, and benefit from fair competition.

Past generations of wireless technology, 2G and 3G, saw a split between networks used in United States, Europe, and China, which complicated the globalization of the wireless market.

For 5G, standards have converged into primarily one standard.

China has become a leader in setting international standards for 5G. In 2019, China submitted 830 technical documents to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)--the most of any country.

China's dominance in 5G standards would give them an advantage in creating chips and software for 5G-compatible phones.

H.R. 1934 addresses this head-on by spearheading American leadership in both 5G standards setting and global cooperation.

Houston was one of the first cities in America to access 5G services with major providers--AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon--offerring access to Houston customers,

The Texas Comptroller's Office released a report in 2020 indicating that Houston led 5G growth in Texas.

The adoption of 5G has tremendous potential to create jobs and transform the healthcare, energy, and transportation industries.

CTIA, a trade group for the wireless communications industry, found that 5G could have an economic impact of $30.3 billion and create 93,700 jobs in Houston.

5G represents the future and will expand technological limits to a new frontier.

It is important that we continue to prioritize the United States' international leadership as 5G continues to grow.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 1934.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1934) to direct the Federal Government to provide assistance and technical expertise to enhance the representation and leadership of the United States at international standards-setting bodies that set standards for equipment, systems, software, and virtually defined networks that support 5th and future generations mobile telecommunications systems and infrastructure, and for other purposes, as amended.

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. 1934, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1934, the Promoting United States International Leadership in 5G Act.

Let me start by thanking Ranking Member McCaul, who has been an important advocate in advancing U.S. leadership in global telecoms and 5G technology. Countering China's and Russia's malign influence in this industry is critical for protecting our national security, and I thank him for his bipartisan work in furtherance of these ends.

A big part of advancing U.S. 5G leadership is ensuring that America and allied countries are in the room, at the table, and leading the charge to set next-generation technology standards.

No organization is more critical to that process than a little-known U.N. organization called the International Telecommunication Union, or

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.