To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a non-geostationary orbit satellite system if the license or grant of market access would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill bars the FCC from granting satellite system licenses, US market access, or earth station authorizations to any entity that produces security-risk communications equipment (like Huawei or ZTE) or to affiliates of such entities. It closes a potential loophole in existing telecom security law by extending restrictions to satellite infrastructure.
Who Benefits and How
- US satellite companies gain competitive advantage as foreign security-risk competitors are excluded from the market
- National security interests are protected by preventing potential foreign surveillance or interference through satellite systems
- US telecommunications infrastructure becomes more secure by excluding untrusted equipment providers from satellite networks
Who Bears the Burden and How
- Foreign telecom equipment manufacturers (primarily Chinese companies like Huawei, ZTE, and their affiliates) are blocked from the US satellite market
- The FCC must implement new screening processes for satellite license applications
- Satellite service providers affiliated with covered entities lose access to the US market
Key Provisions
- Prohibits FCC from granting licenses to entities producing covered communications equipment or their affiliates
- Covers both geostationary and non-geostationary orbit satellite systems
- Includes individually licensed and blanket-licensed earth stations
- Applies to new applications on or after the date of enactment
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Prohibits the FCC from granting satellite licenses, US market access, or earth station authorizations to entities that produce covered (security-risk) communications equipment or their affiliates
Key Policy Areas
Telecommunications, National Security, Space
Primary Purpose
Prohibits the FCC from granting satellite licenses, US market access, or earth station authorizations to entities that produce covered (security-risk) communications equipment or their affiliates
Policy Domains
Satellite License Security Prohibition
Identified Gains
- US satellite companies
- National security agencies
- US telecommunications infrastructure
Identified Costs
- Foreign telecom equipment manufacturers (Huawei, ZTE, etc.)
- Federal Communications Commission
- Satellite providers affiliated with covered entities
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole …
Mr. Pallone (for himself and Mrs. Rodgers of Washington) introduced …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
FCC licensing and market-access reviewers, Federal Communications Commission, National security and defense agencies
FCC licensing and market-access reviewers faces effects in multiple directions
Positive-direction: National security and defense agencies
Negative-direction: Federal Communications Commission
Covered communications equipment and service providers and affiliates
Covered communications equipment and service providers and affiliates faces effects in multiple directions
Satellite operators seeking U.S. market access with covered-entity ownership or control
Satellite operators seeking U.S. market access with covered-entity ownership or control faces effects in multiple directions
U.S. telecommunications networks and satellite users exposed to covered equipment risks
U.S. telecommunications networks and satellite users exposed to covered equipment risks faces effects in multiple directions
Affiliates of covered communications equipment entities, Satellite service providers affiliated with covered communications equipment entities, US domestic satellite companies
Positive-direction: US domestic satellite companies, US satellite operators without foreign security-risk affiliations
Negative-direction: Affiliates of covered communications equipment entities, Satellite service providers affiliated with covered communications equipment entities
Foreign telecommunications equipment manufacturers (Huawei, ZTE, etc.)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_commission"
- → Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
An earth station that is licensed with a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system
An earth station or group of earth stations that supports the routing and switching functions of a satellite system, may be used for telemetry, tracking, and command transmissions, does not originate or terminate communication traffic, and is not for the exclusive use of any customer
An earth station (other than a blanket-licensed earth station) that sends and receives signals with a satellite system, or a gateway station
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology