HR2449-119

What This Bill Does

The FUTURE Networks Act directs the Federal Communications Commission to create a 6G Task Force within 120 days after enactment. The FCC Chair must appoint representatives from the communications industry, public-interest organizations or academic institutions, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments, while excluding companies, organizations, or institutions the Chair determines are controlled by or subject to influence from a foreign adversary or otherwise present a national-security threat. Within one year, the Task Force must report on the status of 6G standards-setting, possible 6G uses, supply-chain and cybersecurity limitations, and coordination across federal, state, local, and tribal governments for siting, deployment, and adoption. The Task Force also must publish draft findings in the Federal Register and on the FCC website at least 180 days before the final report goes to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Senate Commerce Committee.

Who Benefits and How

Trusted wireless carriers, domestic communications-equipment developers, academic wireless researchers, public-interest technology organizations, state broadband offices, local permitting agencies, tribal telecommunications officials, House Commerce Committee staff, and Senate Commerce Committee staff benefit because the bill gives them a formal advisory channel, public draft findings, and a report on how 6G deployment could be coordinated without advantaging untrusted foreign-adversary suppliers.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Federal Communications Commission, the FCC Chair, FCC public-notice staff, 6G Task Force members, federal agencies participating in deployment coordination, state governments, local governments, tribal governments, and foreign-adversary-controlled communications companies bear the burden because the FCC must appoint and manage the Task Force, screen participants, publish draft findings, receive public comments, produce the final report, and exclude not-trusted entities from the advisory process.

Key Provisions

• Requires the FCC to establish a 6G Task Force within 120 days after enactment.
• Requires the FCC Chair to appoint communications-industry, public-interest, academic, federal, state, local, and tribal representatives.
• Bars participation by entities the Chair finds controlled by a foreign adversary or otherwise not trusted.
• Requires draft findings to be published in the Federal Register and on the FCC website 180 days before the final report.
• Requires a congressional report on 6G standards, possible uses, supply-chain and cybersecurity limits, and deployment coordination.