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H.R. 10453House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Communications and Technology Transparency Act of 2026

Sponsored by Frank Pallone, Jr.Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ)
Introduced September 16, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated September 24, 2026 at 3:51 AM UTC

The Communications and Technology Transparency Act of 2026 updates the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019. It broadens the law’s scope from just communications equipment to all information and communications technology (ICT) and services, and adds new procedures for adding or removing items from the restricted list. The changes affect the Federal Communications Commission, the Department of Commerce, and any companies that provide ICT that could pose national‑security risks.

Key Provisions

  • Replaces the term “communications equipment or service” with “information and communications technology or service” throughout the 2019 Act.
  • Limits placement on the restricted list to ICT produced or provided by entities controlled by a foreign adversary, and requires a brief unclassified report to Congress before any addition.
  • Requires the list to be updated at least every six months and sets a 60‑day deadline for the FCC to forward risk notices to the Secretary of Commerce.
  • Establishes a process for removing items from the list when a prior agency determination is reversed, including notice, comment period, and a 180‑day removal deadline.
  • Mandates quarterly coordination meetings between the FCC and the Secretary of Commerce, with annual unclassified reports to Congress on those meetings.
  • Prohibits the FCC from issuing authorizations, licenses, or other grants to “covered entities” that produce or provide restricted ICT, with limited exceptions.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

September 16, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

September 16, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

September 16, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued September 16, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 10453

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

September 16, 2026

Mr. Pallone (for himself and Mr. Guthrie) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to expand the coverage of such Act and to streamline the processes under such Act, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Communications and Technology Transparency Act of 2026.

2.

Information and communications technology or services

(a)

In general

The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

by striking communications equipment or service each place it appears (except in section 4) and inserting information and communications technology or service;

(2)

by striking communications equipment or services each place it appears (except in section 4) and inserting information and communications technology or services;

(3)

by striking equipment or service each place it appears (except in section 4) and inserting technology or service;

(4)

in section 2—

(A)

in the heading, by striking communications equipment or services and inserting information and communications technology or services;

(B)

in subsection (a), in the heading, by striking covered communications equipment or services and inserting covered information and communications technology or services; and

(C)

in subsection (b), by inserting adopt an order to before place; and

(5)

in section 9—

(A)

by striking paragraph (4);

(B)

by redesignating paragraphs (5), (6), and (7) as paragraphs (4), (5), and (6), respectively;

(C)

in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated), by striking communications equipment or service and inserting information and communications technology or service; and

(D)

by inserting after paragraph (6) (as so redesignated) the following:

(7)

Information and communications technology or services

The term information and communications technology or services has the meaning given such term in section 791.2 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

.

(b)

Conforming amendments

(1)

Secure Equipment Act of 2021

Section 2(a)(2) of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 (47 U.S.C. 1601 note) is amended by striking covered communications equipment or services and inserting covered information and communications technology or services.

(2)

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025

Section 1709 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159) is amended—

(A)

by striking communications equipment or services each place it appears and inserting information and communications technology or services;

(B)

in subsection (a)—

(i)

in the subsection heading, by striking communications services and equipment to and inserting certain information and communications technology or services for inclusion on; and

(ii)

in paragraph (2), by striking communications equipment and services and inserting information and communications technology or services;

(C)

in the heading of subsection (b), by striking communications services and equipment to and inserting information and communications technology or services on; and

(D)

in subsection (c)(3), by inserting of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(a)) before the period at the end.

3.

Reliance on certain determinations

(a)

In general

Section 2(c) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(c)) is amended—

(1)

by striking paragraphs (1) and (4);

(2)

by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively;

(3)

by amending paragraph (1) (as so redesignated) to read as follows:

(1)

A determination by the Secretary of Commerce under part 791 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), to prohibit a transaction with respect to the information and communications technology or service, if the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information has filed with the Commission a written notification of such determination.

; and

(4)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

The information and communications technology or service being required to be added to the list by section 1709 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159).

.

(b)

Conforming amendments

The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended—

(1)

in section 2, by striking paragraphs (1) through (4) each place it appears and inserting paragraphs (1) through (3); and

(2)

in section 9—

(A)

by striking paragraph (6) (as redesignated by section 2);

(B)

by redesignating paragraph (7) (as added by section 2) as paragraph (6); and

(C)

by redesignating paragraphs (8), (9), (10), (11), and (12) as paragraphs (7), (8), (9), (10), and (11), respectively.

(c)

Rule of construction

(1)

In general

The amendments made by this section may not be construed to affect the inclusion, on the covered list, of any information and communications technology or service included on the covered list before the date of the enactment of this Act.

(2)

Definitions

In this subsection:

(A)

Covered list

The term covered list means the list published under section 2(a) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(a)).

(B)

Information and communications technology or services

The term information and communications technology or services has the meaning given such term in section 9 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1608), as amended by this Act.

4.

Updating of list

Section 2(d) of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601(d)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking periodically update and inserting update, not less frequently than once every 6 months,;

(2)

by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:

(2)

Monitoring of determinations

(A)

In general

The Commission shall monitor the making or reversing of the determinations described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c) in order to place additional information and communications technology or services on the list published under subsection (a) or to remove information and communications technology or services from such list in accordance with subparagraph (B).

(B)

Removal

In the case of the reversal by an agency that made a determination that provided a basis for the Commission to make a determination under subsection (b)(1) with respect to any information and communications technology or service, the Commission shall, after providing notice and opportunity for comment, adopt an order removing such technology or service from the list published under subsection (a) not later than 180 days after receiving notice of such reversed determination from the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, if—

(i)

the head of such agency provides notice to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information of such reversed determination and the related reasoning;

(ii)

the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information provides notice of such reversed determination, and the related reasoning, to the Commission;

(iii)

no other determination described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c) (other than such reversed determination) continues to provide a basis for inclusion on such list; and

(iv)

the Commission determines, after considering any comments provided during the opportunity for comment, and irrespective of such reversed determination, that such technology or service does not pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.

;

(3)

in paragraph (3)—

(A)

by striking not updated and inserting unchanged; and

(B)

by striking updates and inserting changes.

5.

Matters related to additions to and removal from list

Section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601) is amended, as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, by adding at the end the following:

(e)

Matters related to additions to list

(1)

Limitation

On and after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Commission may not place any information and communications technology or service on the list published under subsection (a) unless such information and communications technology or service is produced or provided by an entity controlled by a foreign adversary.

(2)

Report to Congress

(A)

Submission

Not later than 7 days before the Commission places information and communications technology or service on the list, the Commission and, if applicable, the head of any agency that made the determination that served as the basis for the placement of the technology or service on the list, shall submit a report to Congress that includes—

(i)

an identification of the technology or service being placed on the list; and

(ii)

an explanation of the specific national security concern that served as the basis for the determination.

(B)

Form

The report required by subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

(3)

Foreign adversary defined

In this subsection, the term foreign adversary has the meaning given the term covered nation in section 4872(f)(2) of title 10, United States Code.

(f)

Applicability of congressional review act

The placement on or removal from the list published under subsection (a) of a class or category of information and communications technology or service without reference to an entity that produced or provided that technology shall be deemed a major rule, as defined in section 804 of title 5, United States Code, for the purposes of chapter 8 of that title.

.

6.

Transmission of notices of risk

Section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

(f)

Transmission of notices of risk

If the Commission receives written notification of an information and communications technology or service that poses an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons, the Commission shall, not later than 60 days after the date on which the Commission receives such notification, transmit such notification to the Secretary of Commerce for review with respect to part 791 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

.

7.

Consultation and coordination

Section 2 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following:

(g)

Consultation and coordination

(1)

Meeting requirement

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and every 90 days thereafter, the Commission and the Secretary of Commerce shall meet for purposes of consultation with respect to the list published under subsection (a).

(2)

Coordination with national security agencies

The Commission and the Secretary of Commerce shall provide the head of each appropriate national security agency the opportunity to attend each meeting described under paragraph (1) for the purposes of coordination with respect to the list published under subsection (a).

(3)

Report requirement

Not later than 1 year after the date on which the initial meeting required under paragraph (1) occurs, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report, in unclassified form, on the results of the meetings under such paragraph during the preceding year.

.

8.

Certain authorizations, licenses, and other grants of authority prohibited

The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), as amended by the preceding provisions of this Act, is further amended—

(1)

by redesignating sections 10 and 11 as sections 11 and 12, respectively; and

(2)

by inserting after section 9 the following:

10.

Certain authorizations, licenses, and other grants of authority prohibited

(a)

In general

No authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the Commission may be obtained, held, or controlled by a covered entity.

(b)

Limitation

Subsection (a) does not apply to an equipment authorization issued by the Commission under subpart J of part 2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

(c)

Covered entity defined

In this section, the term covered entity means the following:

(1)

An entity that produces or provides any covered information and communications technology or service.

(2)

An affiliate (as defined in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153)) of an entity described in paragraph (1).

.

9.

Equipment authorizations

Section 2(a)(3) of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 (47 U.S.C. 1601 note) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and

(2)

by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:

(B)

New placements on list

The Commission is not required to review or revoke any equipment authorization on the basis that relevant equipment is on the list described in paragraph (2) if such equipment authorization was granted before the date on which such equipment was placed on such list.

.