Communications Security Act
Communications Security Act
Plain Language Summary
# Communications Security Act Summary **What it does:** This bill gives formal legal authority to an existing FCC advisory council that advises on the security and reliability of U.S. communications networks. Currently, this council operates without specific statutory backing. The bill also sets membership requirements, stating the council should include representatives from communications companies, public interest groups, universities, and government officials at federal, state, tribal, and local levels. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects the FCC, communications companies (like phone and internet providers), consumer advocacy groups, and government agencies involved in network security.
Indirectly, it affects all Americans who rely on secure communications infrastructure, from phone calls to internet services. **Key provisions:** The FCC can designate an existing committee to serve this advisory role and must adjust membership to meet the bill's diversity requirements. The council must maintain balanced representation across industry, public interest organizations, and all levels of government. **Current status:** The bill passed the House of Representatives. Its next step would be consideration by the Senate, though no Senate action has been scheduled yet.
CRS Official Summary
Communications Security ActThis bill provides statutory authority for a council established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide advice regarding the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks. (This advice is currently provided by the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.)The bill specifies that the FCC may designate an existing advisory committee to fulfill this role, provided the committee’s membership is modified, as necessary, to comply with membership requirements set forth in the bill. Specifically, the bill requires the council to include, to the extent practicable, representatives of companies in the communications industry; public interest organizations or academic institutions; and federal, state, tribal, and local governments (with at least one member representing each level of government). Members are to be selected by the FCC's chair and generally may not include representatives of entities owned or controlled by, or subject to the influence of, a foreign adversary, or otherwise deemed to pose a threat to U.S. national security. Under current law, federal advisory committees must generally terminate after two years unless they are renewed or a statute specifies a different termination date. However, the bill exempts the council from this requirement.
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.