I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8503 
To require the development of a strategy to promote the use of secure 
telecommunications infrastructure worldwide, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 26, 2022 
Ms. MANNING (for herself and Mrs. KIM of California) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To require the development of a strategy to promote the 
use of secure telecommunications infrastructure world-
wide, 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 ‘‘Securing Global Tele-
communications Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress as follows: 
(1) The United States Government should pro-
mote and take steps to ensure American leadership 
in strategic technology industries, including tele-
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communications infrastructure and other informa-
tion and communications technologies. 
(2) The expansive presence of companies linked 
to the Chinese Communist Party, such as Huawei, 
in global mobile networks and the national security 
implications thereof, such as the ability of the Peo-
ple’s Republic of China to exfiltrate the information 
flowing through those networks and shut off coun-
tries’ internet access, demonstrates the importance 
of the United States remaining at the technological 
frontier and the dire consequences of falling behind. 
(3) The significant cost of countering Huawei’s 
market leadership in telecommunications infrastruc-
ture around the world underscores the urgency of 
supporting the competitiveness of United States 
companies in next-generation information and com-
munication technology. 
(4) To remain a leader at the International 
Telecommunication Union (ITU) and preserve the 
ITU’s technical integrity, the United States must 
work with emerging economies and developing na-
tions to bolster global telecommunications security 
and protect American national security interests. 
(5) Multilateral cooperation with like-minded 
partners and allies is critical to carry out the signifi-
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cant effort of financing and promoting secure net-
works around the world and to achieve market lead-
ership of trusted vendors in this sector. 
SEC. 3. STRATEGY FOR SECURING GLOBAL TELECOMMUNI-
CATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE. 
(a) STRATEGY REQUIRED.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
of State shall develop and submit to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a strategy, 
to be known as the ‘‘Strategy to Secure Global Tele-
communications Infrastructure’’ (referred to in this Act 
as the ‘‘Strategy’’), to promote the use of secure tele-
communication infrastructure worldwide. 
(b) CONSULTATION REQUIRED.—The Secretary of 
State shall consult with the President of the Export-Im-
port Bank of the United States, the Chief Executive Offi-
cer of the Development Finance Corporation, the Adminis-
trator of the United States Agency for International De-
velopment, the Director of the Trade and Development 
Agency, the Chair of the Federal Communications Com-
mission, and the Secretary of Commerce, in developing the 
Strategy, which shall consist of an approach led by the 
Department of State using the policy tools, and informed 
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by the technical expertise, of the other Federal entities so 
consulted to achieve the goal described in subsection (a). 
(c) ELEMENTS.—The Strategy shall also include sec-
tions on each of the following: 
(1) Mobile networks, including a description of 
efforts to— 
(A) promote trusted Open RAN tech-
nologies while protecting against any security 
risks posed by untrusted vendors in Open RAN 
networks; 
(B) use financing mechanisms to assist 
‘‘rip-and-replace’’ projects and to incentivize 
countries to choose trusted equipment vendors; 
(C) bolster multilateral cooperation, espe-
cially with developing countries and emerging 
economies, to promote the deployment of trust-
ed wireless networks worldwide; 
(D) collaborate with trusted private sector 
companies to counter Chinese market leadership 
in the telecom equipment industry; and 
(E) review the feasibility of using low- 
Earth orbit satellites as a way to provide inter-
net access. 
(2) Data centers, including a description of ef-
forts to— 
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(A) collaborate with trusted private sector 
companies to counter the growing market share 
of untrusted Chinese companies and to main-
tain and promote United States market leader-
ship in the cloud computing and data center 
businesses; 
(B) 
utilize 
financing 
mechanisms 
to 
incentivize countries to choose trusted data cen-
ter providers; and 
(C) bolster multilateral cooperation, espe-
cially with developing countries and emerging 
economies, to promote the deployment of trust-
ed data centers worldwide. 
(3) Sixth (and future) generation technologies 
(6G), including a description of efforts to— 
(A) promote United States leadership in 
6G standards-setting processes; 
(B) deepen cooperation with like-minded 
countries to promote United States and allied 
market leadership in 6G networks and tech-
nologies; and 
(C) increase buy-in from developing coun-
tries and emerging countries on United States 
and allied 6G standards and trusted tech-
nologies. 
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(4) Low-Earth orbit satellites, aerostats, and 
stratospheric balloons, including a description of ef-
forts to— 
(A) develop the capabilities to rapidly de-
liver wireless internet anywhere on the planet; 
and 
(B) work with trusted private sector com-
panies to retain the ability to quickly provide 
internet connection in response to emergency 
situations. 
SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL DIGITAL ECONOMIC AND TELE-
COMMUNICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is established in the De-
partment of State an International Digital Economic and 
Telecommunication Advisory Committee (‘‘IDET’’). 
(b) PURPOSE.—The IDET shall seek to advise the 
Secretary of State on the formulation of United States 
strategies, policies, positions, and proposals on policy mat-
ters relevant to digital economy, digital connectivity, eco-
nomic aspects of emerging digital technologies, tele-
communications, and communications and information 
policy. Such advice shall include matters related to United 
States participation in the International Telecommuni-
cation Union (ITU), the Inter-American Telecommuni-
cation Commission of the Organization of American 
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States, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and 
Development, the Telecommunications and Information 
Working Group of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation 
Forum, the Group of Seven, the Digital Economy Task 
Force of the Goup of Twenty, and other relevant tele-
communications standards-setting bodies. 
(c) CHAIR AND MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall 
designate an employee of the Department of State to 
serve as the Chair of the IDET. 
(2) MEMBERS.—The Chair shall appoint not 
fewer than 20 members to the IDET who meet the 
qualifications listed in paragraph (3). 
(3) QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBERS.—Members 
of the IDET shall be appointed from among individ-
uals who are citizens or legal permanent residents of 
the United States. To ensure diversity of advice, the 
IDET may not include more than one representative 
of any one particular United States organization 
during any period in which the IDET consists of 20 
members or fewer. Together, the members should 
represent a balance of interests and diverse view-
points and have substantial expertise addressing 
these policy issues, participating in United States 
preparatory activities for conferences and meetings 
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of international organizations, and serving on United 
States delegations. 
(4) ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED.—Members 
of the IDET shall include representatives of the fol-
lowing— 
(A) interested government agencies, whose 
representatives shall serve as ex officio mem-
bers; 
(B) United States organizations, including 
associations and scientific or industrial organi-
zations that are engaged in the study of tele-
communications or in the design or manufac-
ture of equipment intended for telecommuni-
cations services; 
(C) civil society; 
(D) academia; and 
(E) organizations, institutions, or entities 
with specific interest in digital economy, digital 
connectivity, economic aspects of digital tech-
nologies, and communications and information 
policy matters. 
(5) REMOVAL.—The Chair may remove any 
member for any reason. 
(e) SUBCOMMITTEES.— 
(1) PRIVATE SECTOR SUBCOMMITTEE.— 
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(A) PURPOSE.—The Chair shall establish a 
permanent private sector subcommittee to pro-
vide the perspective and expertise of private in-
dustry so that an understanding of market 
forces, technical realities, bidding environments, 
and industry equities informs the recommenda-
tions of the IDET. 
(B) LEADERSHIP.—The Chair shall ap-
point a chair of the permanent subcommittee 
from among the members of the IDET. 
(C) MEMBERSHIP.—The subcommittee’s 
membership should represent the range of pri-
vate sector entities in critical telecommuni-
cations infrastructure and technology. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION.—The Chair may establish 
such other subcommittees as the Chair may deter-
mine appropriate to provide advice to the IDET on 
strategic planning and other communications and in-
formation policy issues. Such subcommittees shall 
provide advice only to the IDET and shall not pro-
vide advice directly to the Secretary of State. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—Membership of subcommit-
tees shall not be limited to a prescribed number and 
may include more than one member from one agency 
or organization designated for the subcommittee. 
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