Carr Applauds President Biden’s Signing of the Secure Equipment Act 
Legislation Led by Scalise, Eshoo, Rubio, and Markey Closes the ‘Huawei Loophole’ 

WASHINGTON, November 12, 2021—Today, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr applauded President Biden’s signing of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 into law.  The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Republican Whip Steve Scalise, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Senator Marco Rubio, and Senator Ed Markey will strengthen national security by requiring the FCC to close a loophole in the agency’s equipment authorization process and protect against threats posed against by entities on the Covered List.  

Commissioner Carr joined the authors of the legislation and Chairwoman Rosenworcel on a joint release.  Carr’s quote can also be found below:

“I applaud Senator Rubio, Senator Markey, Republican Whip Scalise, and Congresswoman Eshoo for their determination and leadership to secure America’s communications networks.  Their Secure Equipment Act is now the law of the land and will ensure that insecure equipment from Huawei, ZTE, and other untrustworthy entities can no longer be inserted into our communications networks.  This gear poses an unacceptable risk to our national security.  I am pleased with the overwhelming support their legislation has received in Congress to close the ‘Huawei Loophole’, and for President Biden’s signature today enacting this important reform.”

Background

· In 2020, the FCC adopted rules to require that U.S. telecommunications carriers remove and replace equipment provided by “covered” companies.  While that was an important step, those rules only applied to equipment purchased with federal funding and created a loophole that Huawei and others were using to continue to be installed in our networks. 
· In March, Carr called on the FCC to close this so-called “Huawei Loophole.” 
· In May, Senators Rubio and Markey introduced S. 1790, the Secure Equipment Act.
· In June, Republican Whip Scalise and Congresswoman Eshoo introduced H.R. 3919, the Secure Equipment Act.
· Later in June, the Commission launched a proceeding aligned with the requirements of the Secure Equipment Act.
· In October, the House passed H.R. 3919 via a roll call vote of 420-4.  H.R. 3919 passed the Senate via unanimous consent the next week. 
· On November 11, 2021, President Biden signed H.R. 3919 into law.

###

Office of Commissioner Brendan Carr
www.fcc.gov/about/leadership/brendan-carr
Media Contact:  Greg Watson
(202) 418-0658 or greg.watson@fcc.gov