I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8899 
To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among United States 
agencies to encourage countries in Central and Eastern Europe to im-
prove the security of their telecommunications networks, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 8, 2020 
Ms. KAPTUR (for herself, Mr. KINZINGER, Mr. MEEKS, Mr. WILSON of South 
Carolina, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. QUIGLEY, Mr. DIAZ- 
BALART, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CASE, Mr. STEWART, Mr. MORELLE, and Mr. 
COSTA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To prioritize the efforts of and enhance coordination among 
United States agencies to encourage countries in Central 
and Eastern Europe to improve the security of their 
telecommunications networks, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Transatlantic Telecom-
munications Security Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:46 Dec 28, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8899.IH
H8899
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. STATEMENT OF POLICY. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that— 
(1) Fifth-generation telecommunications net-
works in allied and partner countries based on com-
mon, secure, transparent, democratic standards have 
the potential to increase cultural, political, and eco-
nomic exchanges leading to mutual job creation, 
closer citizen relations, and stronger democratic in-
stitutions; 
(2) the United States has national security and 
economic interests in assisting Central and Eastern 
European countries to improve the security of their 
telecommunications networks by reducing depend-
ence on covered telecommunications equipment or 
services that are often offered with predatory eco-
nomic inducements, and replacing them with secure 
telecommunications equipment or services; 
(3) China’s Belt and Road Initiative and the 
17+1 Initiative seek to undermine Central and 
Eastern Europe’s infrastructure resilience and sov-
ereignty through predatory inducements from state- 
linked providers of telecommunications equipment or 
services such as Huawei Technologies Company and 
ZTE Corporation; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:46 Dec 28, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8899.IH
H8899
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(4) the United States must assemble a coalition 
of democratic and like-minded allies and partners to 
counter the rise of global malign actors such as 
China and Russia, and build resilience in Central 
and Eastern Europe against malign influences; and 
(5) in order to ensure robust military coordina-
tion and interoperability with the North Atlantic 
Treaty Organization (NATO) and transatlantic al-
lies and partners, the United States should ensure 
that allies’ and partners’ telecommunications net-
works are secure and free from potential threats in 
accordance with the 2019 NATO London Declara-
tion. 
(b) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States— 
(1) to strengthen the transatlantic alliance 
based on shared values in the face of rising malign 
influence from the Russian Federation and the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China, nations that seek to under-
mine democratic institutions and values; 
(2) to encourage public and private sector in-
vestment in European telecommunications infra-
structure projects to ensure secure telecommuni-
cations and to catalyze economic advancement 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:46 Dec 28, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8899.IH
H8899
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
through the highest standards of transparency, ac-
cessibility, and competition; 
(3) to provide economically feasible alternatives 
to financing from providers of covered telecommuni-
cations equipment or services; 
(4) to engage in diplomacy with European allies 
and partners to strengthen United States and Euro-
pean private sector efforts to develop common tele-
communications technology and industry standards, 
and in turn promote them globally; 
(5) to support the Three Seas Initiative orga-
nized by twelve Central and Eastern European coun-
tries of the European Union to increase infrastruc-
ture resiliency and reduce reliance on malign actors, 
including in the telecommunications space; and 
(6) to support the people of Ukraine, Moldova, 
Georgia, and the Western Balkan countries in their 
desire for integration into euro-Atlantic institutions 
and economies through enhanced cross-border tele-
communications infrastructure connectivity. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:46 Dec 28, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8899.IH
H8899
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS