House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chair Bob Latta (R-OH), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Doris Matsui (D-CA) urged Congress to fully fund the “Rip & Replace” reimbursement program.
Rip and Replace is meant to reimburse small carriers for the removal, replacement and disposal of gear the U.S. has deemed untrustworthy from Huawei and ZTE. Congress only appropriated $1.9 billion for the work, and the fund is some $3 billion short, Inside Towers reported.
On July 17, carriers that wished to be reimbursed for the effort had to have submitted at least one application. The lawmakers said they’re “extremely disappointed” the program has not been fully funded.
“The longer Congress waits to address the funding shortfall in this program, the more we jeopardize America’s national security by leaving our networks vulnerable to espionage by adversaries like China,” said Rodgers, Pallone, Latta and Matsui. “We continue to work with our colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership to bring H.R. 3565, the Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act to the floor, which fully funds this program. It’s critical that we find a path forward as soon as possible to finish securing our networks and strengthening our national defense.”
The Act passed the committee in May. It would extend spectrum auction authority, make important changes to existing spectrum auction processes, and direct spectrum auction proceeds to fund critical programs. It would also provide $3.08 billion for small communications providers to remove Huawei and ZTE from their networks, as well as authorize and fund Next Generation 911 technology.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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