Sec. 2. Sense of Congress; statement of policy
653 words·~3 min read·
/bill/117/hr/3344/eh/section-2·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— fifth and future generation’s telecommunication networks in allied and partner countries based on common, secure, transparent, democratic standards have the potential to increase cultural, political, and economic exchanges leading to mutual job creation, closer citizen relations, and stronger democratic institutions; Russia’s unprovoked, unjustified, and illegal invasion of Ukraine and the People’s Republic of China’s tacit support for Russian Federation’s actions demonstrate the importance of secure telecommunication infrastructure in Central and Eastern European nations; the United States has national security and economic interests in assisting Central and Eastern European countries to improve the security of their telecommunication networks by reducing dependence on covered telecommunication equipment or services that are often offered with predatory economic inducements and replacing them with secure telecommunication equipment or services;
China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the 17+1 Initiative seek to undermine Central and Eastern Europe’s infrastructure resilience and sovereignty through predatory inducements from state-linked providers of telecommunication equipment or services such as Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation; China’s 2017 National Intelligence Law obligates Chinese businesses to fully cooperate with state intelligence work, and thereby compromises the integrity of any network that utilizes equipment from Chinese companies because providers could be forced to hand over sensitive data or shut down networks at the command of China;
Russia’s campaign to elect a Russian national, who is a former Huawei Technologies Company executive, to serve as the Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union
(ITU)is indicative of China and Russia’s efforts to use international organizations to promote their interests and their malign influence; at global fora such as the ITU, the United States Government should actively support candidates that espouse democratic values, internet freedoms, and secure telecommunication networks; the United States International Development Finance Corporation’s development priorities, as described in section 1412 of the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act of 2018, properly includes a focus on less developed countries; the United States should assemble a coalition of democratic and like-minded allies and partners to counter the rise of global malign actors such as China and Russia and build resilience in Central and Eastern Europe against malign influences; and in order to ensure robust military coordination and interoperability with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO)and transatlantic allies and partners, the United States should ensure that allies and partners’ telecommunication networks are secure and free from potential threats in accordance with the 2019 NATO London Declaration. It is the policy of the United States— to strengthen the transatlantic alliance based on shared values in the face of rising malign influence from the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation, countries that seek to undermine democratic institutions and values; to encourage public and private sector investment in European telecommunication infrastructure projects to ensure secure telecommunication and to catalyze economic advancement through the highest standards of transparency, accessibility, and competition; to provide economically feasible alternatives to financing from providers of covered telecommunication equipment or services; to engage in diplomacy with European allies and partners to strengthen the United States and European private sector efforts to develop common telecommunication technology and industry standards, and in turn promote them globally; to support the Three Seas Initiative organized by 12 Central and Eastern European countries of the European Union to increase infrastructure resiliency and reduce reliance on malign actors, including in the telecommunication space; to enhance telecommunication security and freedom around the globe by engaging in elections at the ITU and promoting the candidacies of individuals that will promote democratic values, the rule of law, technological freedoms, and telecommunication security; to support the people of Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and the Western Balkan countries in their desire for integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions and economies through enhanced cross-border telecommunication infrastructure connectivity; and to ensure that frontline NATO allies have telecommunication services that cannot be controlled by China or Russia, especially considering Russia’s illegal and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.