Open RAN Outreach Act

Bill: 119-hr-2037
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
Introduced: 2025-03-11
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications
Subjects: Government information and archives

Telephone and wireless communication
Latest action: action_date: 2025-07-15
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-03-11
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Open RAN Outreach Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers regarding the benefits, uses, and challenges of Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN) standards and other open network architectures. (Open RAN is a nonproprietary, standardized network deployment approach that promotes open networks with interoperable equipment and virtualized network operations.)</p><p>The NTIA must also conduct outreach and provide assistance to small providers regarding participation in the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund,&nbsp;a competitive grant program that funds efforts to accelerate the development, deployment, and adoption of Open RAN.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2037 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 15, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation AN ACT To provide outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Open RAN Outreach Act . 2. Outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers— (1) to raise awareness regarding the uses, benefits, and challenges of Open RAN networks and other open network architectures; and (2) regarding participation in the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program established under section 9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ). (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Assistant Secretary The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, acting through the head of the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth. (2) Open network architecture The term open network architecture means Open RAN networks and other network elements that follow a set of published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability, including open core and open transport. (3) Open RAN network The term Open RAN network means a wireless network that follows the Open Radio Access Network architecture and published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability.

Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2037 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To provide outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Open RAN Outreach Act . 2. Outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers— (1) to raise awareness regarding the uses, benefits, and challenges of Open RAN networks and other open network architectures; and (2) regarding participation in the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program established under section 9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ). (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Assistant Secretary The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, acting through the head of the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth. (2) Open network architecture The term open network architecture means Open RAN networks and other network elements that follow a set of published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability, including open core and open transport. (3) Open RAN network The term Open RAN network means a wireless network that follows the Open Radio Access Network architecture and published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability.

Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 149 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2037 [Report No. 119–184] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Hudson ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce July 2, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 11, 2025 A BILL To provide outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Open RAN Outreach Act . 2. Outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers— (1) to raise awareness regarding the uses, benefits, and challenges of Open RAN networks and other open network architectures; and (2) regarding participation in the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program established under section 9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ). (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Assistant Secretary The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, acting through the head of the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth. (2) Open network architecture The term open network architecture means Open RAN networks and other network elements that follow a set of published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability, including open core and open transport. (3) Open RAN network The term Open RAN network means a wireless network that follows the Open Radio Access Network architecture and published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability.

July 2, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2037 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 11, 2025 Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself and Mr. Hudson ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To provide outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Open RAN Outreach Act . 2. Outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks (a) In general The Assistant Secretary shall conduct outreach and provide technical assistance to small communications network providers— (1) to raise awareness regarding the uses, benefits, and challenges of Open RAN networks and other open network architectures; and (2) regarding participation in the Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Grant Program established under section 9202(a)(1) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( Public Law 116–283 ). (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Assistant Secretary The term Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, acting through the head of the Office of Internet Connectivity and Growth. (2) Open network architecture The term open network architecture means Open RAN networks and other network elements that follow a set of published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability, including open core and open transport. (3) Open RAN network The term Open RAN network means a wireless network that follows the Open Radio Access Network approach to standardization adopted by the O–RAN Alliance, Telecom Infra Project, or Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), or any similar set of published open standards for multi-vendor network equipment interoperability.