Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2023

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1377) to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to take certain actions to enhance the representation of the United States and promote United States leadership in communications standards-setting bodies, and for other purposes.

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 in the Record on the bill.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1377, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act.

For decades, the United States has led the development of next- generation wireless technology. To maintain leadership and defend against our foreign adversaries, we must continue to focus on bolstering the foundational elements, like standards development, to make sure the United States continues to lead on future technological advancements.

As these standards are set in global, industry-led standards bodies, we must enhance participation by U.S. companies and remain vigilant so that bad actors don't game the system for their own economic and national security interests. To keep accountability and ensure proper transparency, we must encourage participation by trusted, like-minded partners.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration plays a central role in these efforts as the executive branch agency with technical expertise on wireless innovation. They have decades of experience working with the industry and other stakeholders to develop these technical standards globally.

I thank the dedicated career staff who worked tirelessly to advance U.S. global wireless leadership. As we move into the next decade, it is critical that we continue to enhance participation in critical standards-setting bodies and preserve U.S. wireless leadership.

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

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), the bill's sponsor.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

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

Mr. Speaker, the Communications and Technology Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee has been very busy this past Congress making sure that we get broadband deployed across this country. This piece of legislation will help make sure that that happens.

Mr. Speaker, I ask all Members to support this legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1377, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act. This legislation is an important step toward ensuring that the national and global bodies crafting standards for next-generation wireless technologies, such as 6G and Wi-Fi 8, include significant representation from trusted American companies and those from allied countries.

H.R. 1377 accomplishes this objective by requiring the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to encourage and facilitate the participation of trusted companies and stakeholders in the domestic and international standards-setting bodies for wireless technologies. The Assistant Secretary must also brief Congress within 60 days of the bill becoming law on the strategy to accomplish these objectives.

It is crucial that American and allied interests are well-represented at these standards-setting bodies. If the United States is not a leader in shaping the wireless future, our adversaries will step up in the leadership void. This includes dominating the future 6G marketplace in a way that may undermine our values, national security, and economic prosperity.

We cannot allow that to happen.

History has shown us that early developers and adopters of technology define the marketplace, drive innovation, and reap the economic benefits, and so we must lead.

Moreover, as we have seen with the recent news on the Salt Typhoon cyberattack, foreign adversaries often see our communications networks and devices as the entry points to disrupt our daily lives and conduct espionage campaigns. Therefore, it is imperative that American interests are at the table as new wireless standards are crafted, including those that have cybersecurity and national security implications.

I thank Representatives Dingell, Kuster, and Walberg for their bipartisan work on this legislation.

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

Mr. Speaker, first I congratulate Representative Walberg on his new leadership position, and I thank him for his collaboration on the committee over the years in leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the legendary gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Dingell).

Mr. Speaker, let's pass H.R. 1377, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2023 and boldly lead the charge toward 6G and beyond.

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

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favor of my legislation, H.R. 1377, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act.

This important legislation strengthens American leadership in 5G and future wireless communications by bringing together key stakeholders to create a unified approach to international standards-setting.

It directs the NTIA to assist and encourage trusted U.S. companies to actively participate in global standards-setting organizations, such as 3GPP and IEEE.

These independent, business-led entities establish the technical standards that 5G operators, equipment manufacturers, software providers, and others rely on to build wireless networks.

China and other adversaries are investing heavily in 5G deployment and are actively working to shape these standards-setting processes to serve their interests. If they succeed in skewing future standards toward their own priorities, the United States risks being placed at a significant economic and strategic disadvantage.

As we did with 3G and 4G, the United States must continue leading the way on 5G. H.R. 1377 ensures a coordinated approach to counter foreign influence by protecting our national security, our economic competitiveness, and global technology leadership.

Finally, this will be my last act for now as a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. It has been a wonderful, productive 8 years. I have worked on such a wide set of policies such as increasing energy independence, protecting kids online, fighting electric vehicle mandates, championing American innovators, improving nationwide connectivity, and much, much more.

My colleagues and the many staff I have worked with have made my time on the Energy and Commerce Committee great.

I see why this committee is often called the best committee on the Hill, though I am going to challenge you for that title over at the Education and the Workforce Committee.

I thank the incredible leadership of Chair Rodgers and former Chair Walden, and I wish Chair-elect Guthrie all the best.

As my last ask, I encourage all my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

I rise today, Mr. Speaker, in support H.R. 1377, the Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act of 2023.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the bipartisan sponsors of this bill for working to protect our national security and global competitiveness.

Our adversaries such as China are working diligently to gain an edge over the U.S. when it comes to wireless technology and deployment.

Let me be clear. Economic security is national security. Again, economic security is national security.

It is imperative that we maintain our lead in the wireless space specifically with 5G advancement. We must continue to be at the front line of innovation which means participating in international standard- setting organizations.

I was proud to support this legislation when it passed committee unanimously, and I urge my colleagues to support this act as well.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to pay my respects to Chairman Walberg and congratulate him on his new chairmanship. I will miss sitting beside him in Energy and Commerce. It has been a pleasure to work with him for the last 8 years.

Mr. Speaker, I would also be remiss if I did not mention that in the first year of this session, I had the opportunity to serve as vice chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee. I thank Chairman Latta for the wonderful job that he did and for his inclusion of me in all of our meetings and his leadership on this great subcommittee and on this great committee in Energy and Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding. I hope I am not too legendary.

I rise today, and I also want to compliment my colleague from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), who I am proud to have worked with on this bill. I will miss him on the Energy and Commerce Committee, but education and labor matter in Michigan, too, so we will make sure his voice is well represented. Maybe he will even trust me on EVs.

I rise today in support of a bill that I worked with my colleague on,