Media Contact: 
Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509
will.wiquist@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

CHAIRMAN PAI STATEMENT ON ENACTMENT OF THE
SECURE AND TRUSTED COMMUNICATIONS NETWORKS ACT
Law Ratifies FCC’s Supply Chain Order and ‘Rip and Replace’ Proposal; 
Chairman Now Calls on Congress to Fund It   -- 

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2020— Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai issued the following statement about President Trump signing the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 into law:

“This new law ratifies the FCC’s recently-adopted initiative to help small, rural telecommunications companies end their reliance on manufacturers that pose national security threats.  Last November, the FCC initially designated two companies—Huawei and ZTE—as threats to the communications supply chain.  We are now considering whether to finalize those preliminary designations while also collecting data about where equipment and services from these two companies are currently deployed.  The FCC’s decisive action—along with enactment of this new law—positions us to move forward quickly to protect the American people.

“Now, I hope Congress will build on this success and move forward quickly to appropriate the necessary funding to reimburse carriers for replacing any network equipment or services found to be a national security threat.  This funding is essential to successfully transition communications networks—especially those of small and rural carriers—to infrastructure provided by more trusted vendors.  I want to thank the President for his leadership on this issue as well as Chairman Wicker, Chairman Pallone, Ranking Member Walden and other members of Congress for their work on this bill.  Together, we are making significant progress in protecting America’s communications networks.”

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Office of Chairman Pai: (202) 418-1000 / Twitter: @AjitPaiFCC / www.fcc.gov/leadership/ajit-pai

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).