Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this bipartisan bill, the Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act. This legislation authorizes the U.S. Development Finance Corporation to provide financing for secure 5G and future generations telecommunications infrastructure development projects in select Central and Eastern European countries with upper-middle-income economies or high-income economies.

This authorization aims to push back against CCP efforts to dominate the 5G and future generations telecommunications networks of our strategic allies and partners in the region, many of whom are NATO allies.

Ensuring the security of the telecommunications network of our NATO allies and partners in Central and Eastern Europe is unquestionably in the U.S. national security interest.

Moreover, this bill targets the majority of countries in the Three Seas Initiative. Launched by 12 of our close friends in Central and Eastern Europe, the Three Seas Initiative seeks to expand cross-border energy, transportation, and digital infrastructure, as well as boost economic development in the region. Though it is a regional initiative, it has global implications that serve not only European but U.S. security and economic interests.

We in Congress have expressed great concern that CCP is exporting corruption, debt traps, and poor labor and environmental standards to Europe and across the world through its 17+1 and Belt and Road initiatives. The Three Seas Initiative seeks to address these concerns by providing positive alternatives to PRC investments in the region, including in its 5G and future telecom networks.

The last administration successfully convinced most of Central and Eastern Europe to opt not to use high-risk Chinese suppliers in their telecommunications networks. Supporting the Three Seas Initiative's efforts to expand secure digital infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe will carry forward this major foreign policy success and ensures the transatlantic community remains united in its clear-eyed assessment of the threat the CCP poses to telecommunications security.

In addition, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine must serve as a wake-up call to the dangers of allowing our adversaries to expand their influence in critical sectors of our economies. In particular, Europe's energy dependence on Russia has made it difficult to rally the continent around tougher sanctions and is funding the Kremlin's war machine to the tune of about $1 billion every day. This is not in Europe's or the United States' national security interests.

We cannot wait for a potential conflict over Taiwan to assist our closest allies and partners in Europe and beyond in cutting out the CCP's malign influence now that it has been used to gain leverage over our democratic allies. This bill would help ensure we learn from our collective past mistakes.

Lastly, this bill is important because it directs the Secretary of State to appoint a campaign director among existing personnel for the upcoming election at the International Telecommunications Union, the ITU, which sets global standards for technologies such as 5G.

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 international organizations to promote their interests and malign influence.

The United States should ensure that we are coordinated in driving support for the U.S. candidate, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, for the secretary general of the ITU, but the State Department should also engage 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, the 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 U.S. must be doing everything we can to ensure Russian and Chinese malign influence does not grow. This bill would help.

The Three Seas Initiative seeks to address threats posed by the CCP by providing positive alternatives to PRC investments in the region, including in its 5G and future telecoms networks.

We must support our allies in Central and Eastern Europe as they seek, through the Three Seas Initiative, to reduce their dependence on Moscow's and Beijing's economic overtures. Only together can we face the threats posed by the authoritarian regimes in China and Russia.

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

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3344) to prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United States agencies to encourage countries in Central and Eastern Europe to improve the security of their telecommunications networks, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 3344, as amended.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3344, as amended, the Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act.

Let me start by thanking Representative Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, the chairwoman of the Ukraine Caucus here in Congress. She has been an incredible leader and a very important voice for Ukraine, not just these past 2 months, but for decades as a Member of Congress. This bill is part and parcel of her many efforts to aid the people of Ukraine and Eastern Europe.

I emphasize a key point throughout my remarks today: Telecommunication security is a central pillar of national security.

If a hostile power has the ability to shut down a country's access to the internet, then both telecommunications and national security have, in fact, been breached.

If a strategic competitor can disable telecoms gear or cut an underseas cable to turn off a country's mobile network, then both telecommunications and national security have, in fact, been breached.

And if foreign rivals can snoop on a country's calls and steal classified information because they can access the network, then both telecommunications and national security have, in fact, been breached.

The lesson is clear: The United States and its allies cannot rely on telecoms gear produced and supplied by countries and companies close to the People's Republic of China government or the Putin regime in Moscow. This is especially true in Eastern Europe, as President Putin has decided to act on violent imperial hubris rather than respect the law of nations.

If the problem is PRC-affiliated technology and Russian aggression, then the Transatlantic Telecommunications Security Act is a key part in the solution to bolster our national security and that of our friends and allies.

First and foremost, the bill allows the Development Finance Corporation to fund telecom security projects to ensure that all network gear in Eastern Europe is safe. As Ukraine faces the immediate threat to its national security, projects in the region must and will receive priority assistance.

Second, this bill authorizes the State Department to create a new position of campaign coordinator at the Department to focus on upcoming elections in the U.N. body called the International Telecommunications Union. That election comprises of an American with significant experience with the ITU and a Russian who previously worked for the Chinese company, Huawei. What could go wrong with that?

This is an election the free world can ill afford to lose, and we must do everything in our power to ensure corrupt actors are kept from its power. This includes a whole-of-government response, such as the State Department working with Commerce and the FCC, as well as the Foreign Affairs Committee teaming up with our good friends on the Energy and Commerce Committee to make sure the ITU promotes free and secure telecom systems around the globe.

The TTSA is a critical bill that would deliver tangible security benefits for Ukraine and frontline NATO allies. We can, should, and must get this bill to the President's desk quickly.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to make that reality one step closer by voting for this legislation today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my friend for his leadership and bipartisanship on this critical piece of legislation. I think it is timely. I think it is urgent. I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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.

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