House Republicans Praise Tech Industry 5G Security Coalition

Tech companies have gotten a high five (make that a "high 5G") for launching a group advocating for supply chain security. 

Telecom and tech companies said this week they are getting together to lobby the government for policies that promote a diverse, secure and interoperable 5G supply chain.  

Related: FCC Seeks Comment on Excluding Suspect Foreign Tech 

In response, House Energy & Commerce Committee Republicans issued a statement of support Thursday (May 7). 

"This commitment by the private sector to advance the same objectives shows the widespread priority to secure our domestic and global communications supply chain, and it’s a great step forward to encourage our allies to follow suit." 

The same objectives are "ensuring American leadership on the world stage, holding bad actors accountable, and stopping supply chain threats," they said.  

The Republicans also put in a plug for Congress' own bipartisan 5G supply chain security legislation, the Utilizing Strategic Allied (USA) Telecommunications Act of 2020.

The bill would authorize up to $750 million for a Department of Commerce-administered program--in consultation with the FCC and other agencies--to speed deployment and use of open interfaced, standards-based, interoperable 5G networks employing trusted suppliers.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.