Secure Space Act of 2025
Summary
What This Bill Does
Bars the Federal Communications Commission from granting satellite licenses, U.S. market access, or earth-station authorizations to covered entities connected to insecure or untrusted communications networks, affiliates, subsidiaries, or certain foreign adversary control.
Who Benefits and How
Trusted satellite operators and U.S. communications users benefit because the FCC must deny certain space and earth-station authorizations to covered high-risk entities. National security agencies benefit from a clearer licensing barrier against satellite operators tied to foreign adversary control or insecure communications networks. Domestic and allied satellite providers may benefit competitively if untrusted providers are excluded from U.S. market access.
Who Bears the Burden and How
FCC licensing staff must screen satellite license, market-access, and earth-station applications under the new prohibition. Covered satellite companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries connected to untrusted communications networks face blocked U.S. licenses or access. Foreign adversary-linked telecom and satellite firms bear market-entry barriers. Satellite customers may have fewer low-cost provider options if excluded providers would otherwise compete.
Key Provisions
- Amends the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019.
- Prohibits certain satellite licenses, U.S. market access, and earth-station authorizations.
- Defines affiliates, subsidiaries, covered entities, and control relationships.
- Directs FCC licensing decisions based on national-security and trusted-network criteria.
- Creates a market-access barrier for high-risk satellite and communications providers.
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
Bars the Federal Communications Commission from granting satellite licenses, U.S. market access, or earth-station authorizations to covered entities connected to insecure or untrusted communications networks, affiliates, subsidiaries, or certain foreign adversary control.
Key Policy Areas
Space, Telecommunications, China, National Security
Primary Purpose
Bars the Federal Communications Commission from granting satellite licenses, U.S. market access, or earth-station authorizations to covered entities connected to insecure or untrusted communications networks, affiliates, subsidiaries, or certain foreign adversary control.
Policy Domains
House resolution provisions
Identified Gains
- Trusted satellite operators
- U.S. communications users
- National security agencies
- Domestic satellite providers
Identified Costs
- FCC licensing staff
- Covered satellite companies
- Foreign adversary-linked telecom firms
- Satellite customers
Sponsors
Deb Fischer
R-NE | Primary Sponsor
Legislative Progress
ReportedCommittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported …
Mrs. Fischer (for herself and Mr. Luján) introduced the following …
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, …
Introduced in Senate
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Foreign adversary-linked satellite firms, Trusted satellite operators
Positive-direction: Trusted satellite operators
Negative-direction: Foreign adversary-linked satellite firms
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "commission"
- → Federal Communications Commission
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