Senate Passes Secure 5G and Beyond Act

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The Senate passed and sent to the House a bill requiring the administration to identify 5G network security threats as well as potential hardware and software remedies, reported the Wall Street Journal.  

“As our telecommunications technology advances, we must have plans in place to keep it secure from foreign interference,” said bill sponsor Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) in a statement. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC), and Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) are co-sponsors.

“5G promises to usher in a new wave of innovations, products, and services. At the same time, the greater complexity, density, and speed of 5G networks relative to traditional communications networks will make securing these networks harder and more complex. It’s why we need a coherent, national strategy to harness the advantages of 5G in a way that addresses those risks,” said Warner.

The Secure 5G and Beyond Act of 2019 calls for the administration to work with officials from the FCC, Commerce Department, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Justice Department and intelligence officials to develop policies to close security gaps. It also calls for the protection of U.S. companies that lead innovation in mobile-network technology.

The legislation sets a 180-day deadline for U.S. officials to give those policies to Congress. They must also submit a list of trusted suppliers from the U.S. and abroad. 

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