H.R. 4067 – Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 4:40 AM UTC

The Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to create a council that advises the agency on how to make communications networks more secure, reliable, and able to work together. The council must be formed within 90 days and include representatives from the communications industry, public‑interest or academic groups, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments, with any entity deemed “not trusted” excluded. Members serve two‑year terms and the council must submit a report with recommendations every two years, which the FCC must post publicly. The law applies to the FCC, communications companies, public‑interest organizations, academic institutions, and government bodies.

Key Provisions

The FCC must establish the council within 90 days of the law’s enactment.
Council members are appointed by the FCC Chair and should include industry, public‑interest/academic, and government representatives, excluding any entity the Chair determines is “not trusted.”
Each council member serves a two‑year term, with vacancies filled only for the remainder of the original term.
The council must submit a report with its recommendations on network security, reliability, and interoperability every two years, and the FCC must make these reports publicly available on its website.
The council is exempt from the termination provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Legislative Activity

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17 earlier actions

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

October 21, 2021

View full timeline

HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

June 22, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

June 22, 2021

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.

Communications and Technology Subcommittee

June 23, 2021

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Communications and Technology Subcommittee

July 15, 2021

HouseCommittee

Subcommittee on Communications and Technology Discharged.

Energy and Commerce Committee

July 20, 2021

HouseCommittee

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

Energy and Commerce Committee

July 21, 2021

HouseCommittee

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

Energy and Commerce Committee

July 21, 2021

HouseCommittee

Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 117-145.

Energy and Commerce Committee

October 15, 2021

HouseCalendars

Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 105.

October 15, 2021

HouseFloor

Mr. Pallone moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

October 19, 2021 • 5:06 PM

HouseFloor

Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5657-5659)

October 19, 2021 • 5:06 PM

HouseFloor

DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 4067.

October 19, 2021 • 5:06 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.

October 19, 2021 • 5:16 PM

HouseFloor

Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H5703)

October 20, 2021 • 3:31 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): 397 - 29 (Roll no. 325).(text: CR 10/19/2021 H5657-5658)

View vote Passed

October 20, 2021 • 3:47 PM

HouseFloor

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 397 - 29 (Roll no. 325). (text: CR 10/19/2021 H5657-5658)

View vote Passed

October 20, 2021 • 3:47 PM

HouseFloor

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

October 20, 2021 • 3:47 PM

SenateIntro Referral

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

October 21, 2021

Voting History

1 vote recorded • Roll call available

HOUSE

Roll Call Available

October 20, 2021 at 3:44 PM

On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended

Majority required: 2/3 (66.7%)

Passed

397 - 29

Floor Debate

4 members

What members said about H.R. 4067 on the floor

3 Republicans1 Democrat

Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.D-NJ-6 · Oct 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4067) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the…

Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4067) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and for other purposes, as amended.

Madam 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. 4067.

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

Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4067, the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act.

As we have seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our Nation's communications networks play an important role in our daily lives. Indeed, these networks have helped us remain connected when we were not able to see family and friends in person. It is vital that we continue to do all we can to protect this critical infrastructure and ensure it is reliable and available to all Americans.

The Federal Communications Commission's Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council, or CSRIC, is meant to do just that. It is made up of government leaders at the Federal, State, and local levels, and includes thought leaders from industry and public interest organizations. The council provides the FCC with recommendations on the best practices and actions the agency could take so that our communications networks are secure, reliable, and compatible with each other.

CSRIC has been in existence since 2009 and was recently rechartered by acting FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel for another 5 years.

CSRIC has served the FCC well by operating in a collaborative manner with representatives from private industry, government, and other key stakeholders. This year the council will be cochaired by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and will include even greater participation from the public interest community.

But given the important objectives of CSRIC, we should not leave it to the FCC's discretion on whether to recharter this council or not every 2 years. Instead, CSRIC must become a permanent fixture at the

Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I ask the gentleman from Ohio if he has any additional speakers.

Madam Speaker, again, I ask Members to support this bill as another step in helping us with our communications security as well as reliability.

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

Rep. Robert E. LattaR-OH-5 · Oct 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4067, the Communications Security Advisory Act of 2021, which was introduced by…

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

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 4067, the Communications Security Advisory Act of 2021, which was introduced by Representatives Walberg, Slotkin, and Schrader.

This bill takes an important step in preserving and strengthening the FCC's existing Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council, or CSRIC, which plays an important role facilitating collaboration between the private sector and the FCC.

CSRIC maintains an important role that ensures our emergency alerting system and 911 systems remain reliable in times of emergency. CSRIC has also adopted voluntary recommendations to improve wireless security. These efforts have focused on how best to plan for and address vulnerabilities in 5G networks.

Together, technical experts from across different parts of the communications industry leverage their decades of experience to help advance continued U.S. technological leadership and sound policymaking. CSRIC's support of these important FCC missions will only become more important as we continue to deploy 5G, next-generation television, and other wireless technologies.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg).

Madam Speaker, that was my last speaker.

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.

Madam Speaker, I think what we are seeing today, we have a theme, especially coming from the Energy and Commerce Committee's Communications and Technology Subcommittee that we are talking about security, reliability, and interoperability of our systems out there and the importance of it.

As we look back over the last year and a half, where would we have been if we didn't have the systems that we had to make sure as we went through COVID for everything from telehealth to education to manufacturing to business and people just communicating back and forth with one another, but we have to make sure these systems are secure.

Madam Speaker, this legislation will help that. I urge support of the House on the legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Rep. Tim WalbergR-MI-7 · Oct 19, 2021

Madam Speaker, I thank my friend from Ohio for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4067, the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act. I…

Rep. Dan BishopR-NC-9 · Oct 19, 2021

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

Bill Text

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Referred in SenateIssued October 21, 2021

IIB

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 4067

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

October 21, 2021

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

AN ACT

To direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council Act.

2.

Council on communications security, reliability, and interoperability

(a)

Establishment

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall establish a council, to advise the Commission on issues including the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks.

(b)

Membership

(1)

Appointment

The members of the council shall be appointed by the Chair.

(2)

Composition

To the extent practicable, the membership of the council shall be composed of the following:

(A)

Representatives of companies in the communications industry, except companies that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted.

(B)

Representatives of public interest organizations or academic institutions, except public interest organizations or academic institutions that are determined by the Chair to be not trusted.

(C)

Representatives of the Federal Government, State governments, local governments, or Tribal Governments, with at least one member representing each such type of government.

(3)

Knowledge and experience

Each member of the council shall have knowledge and experience relevant to the purpose and goals of the council.

(4)

Terms

(A)

In general

Each member of the council shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, except as provided in subparagraph (B).

(B)

Vacancies

Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may serve after the expiration of that member’s term until a successor has taken office.

(c)

Reports

(1)

In general

Not later than 2 years after the date on which the council is established under subsection (a), and every 2 years thereafter, the council shall submit to the Chair each report adopted by the council during the preceding 2-year period, and any report adopted by any working group of the council during such period, including any such report of the council or a working group containing recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and on other relevant issues as appropriate.

(2)

Availability on Commission website

The Commission shall make each report submitted under paragraph (1) publicly available on the website of the Commission.

(d)

Duration

Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the termination of advisory committees) shall not apply to the council.

(e)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

Chair

The term Chair means the Chair of the Commission.

(2)

Commission

The term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission.

(3)

Council

The term council means the council established under subsection (a).

(4)

Not trusted

(A)

In general

The term not trusted means, with respect to an entity, that—

(i)

the Chair has made a public determination that such entity is owned by, controlled by, or subject to the influence of a foreign adversary; or

(ii)

the Chair otherwise determines that such entity poses a threat to the national security of the United States.

(B)

Criteria for determination

In making a determination under subparagraph (A)(ii), the Chair shall use the criteria described in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)), as appropriate.

(5)

State

The term State has the meaning given such term in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153).

Passed the House of Representatives October 20, 2021.

Cheryl L. Johnson,

Clerk