Democratic and Republican appropriators released a $1.7 trillion fiscal 2023 omnibus spending bill on Tuesday. That sets up a race to the finish line for the 117th Congress by the end of this week.
The more than 4,000-page package contains a three month extension for the FCC’s auction authority — to March 9, 2023. But money to fully fund Rip & Replace was left out. The fund to reimburse smaller carriers to remove untrusted equipment from their networks and replace it with new gear has a $3.08 billion shortfall, Inside Towers reported.
The Competitive Carriers Association was disappointed. “Many eligible small and rural carriers began work over two years ago, or are frozen without sufficient funding to begin work, to remove and replace covered equipment to answer Congress’s national security mandate to address the threat posed by Chinese equipment. Full funding is desperately needed for this work to be completed,” said CCA President/CEO Steve Berry. “Without adequate funding, not only their customers, but also the millions that roam on their networks each year, risk losing service. This is unacceptable in today’s day and age.”
Fully funding Rip & Replace remains a key bipartisan priority for national security, and the conversation is far from over, according to Berry. CCA is focused on ensuring the reimbursement program is fully funded as soon as possible, and intends to keep working on the issue in the next session of Congress.
The spending bill must be enacted by midnight Friday night to avoid a partial government shutdown, according to Inside Towers. Senators are poised to vote first, after the House sent a legislative vehicle meant to expedite consideration, reports Roll Call.
The package covers the dozen annual spending bills for every federal agency, plus supplemental aid for the war in Ukraine and natural disaster victims. It also includes a TikTok ban on government-issued devices.
By Leslie Stimson, Inside Towers Washington Bureau Chief
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