Lawmakers Exploring Options to Pass Telecom Sanctions Bill
Sponsors of a recently reintroduced House bill that could lead to sanctions on certain foreign telecommunications firms are looking into several potential avenues for getting the legislation passed, a congressional aide said March 21.
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Those options include adding the measure to a larger vehicle that is likely to advance through Congress, such as the FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, or moving the bill as a stand-alone measure through the House Foreign Affairs Committee, to which the legislation was formally referred this month, the aide told Export Compliance Daily.
The Neutralizing Emerging Threats from Wireless OEMs Receiving direction from Kleptocracies and Surveillance states Act, or NETWORKS Act, would sanction foreign telecommunications companies engaged in economic or industrial espionage against the U.S. It was written with Chinese firms in mind in light of allegations that they have tried to steal American trade secrets.
Reps. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., and Dale Strong, R-Ala., are sponsoring the bill, previously introduced in 2022 and 2020 by now-former Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. The lawmakers are seeking to line up sponsors in the Senate, where Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has introduced the bill in the past.