Cybersecurity Policy Report, Bill Targeting Chinese-Made Routers Reintroduced by Rep. Latta, (Jan 31, 2025)
Legislation that would require the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to study national security risks posed by some foreign-made routers and modems has been reintroduced in the House.
The Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security (ROUTERS) Act (H.R. __, 119th Cong. (2025)) was offered by Reps. Bob Latta (R., Ohio) and Robin Kelly (D., Ill.).
The bill would require NTIA to study “the national security risks posed by routers, modems, or devices that combine both, that are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned by, controlled by or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or Venezuela,” according to a news release.
The text of the bill wasn’t immediately available, but Rep. Latta noted that it was companion legislation to a Senate bill (S.B. 244, 119th Cong. (2025)) that was introduced by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R., Tenn.) and Ben Ray Luján (D., N.M.) (CPR, Jan. 27).
A similar bill introduced by Rep. Latta in the 118th Congress cleared the House last September (CPR, Sept. 10, 2024), but its Senate companion failed to advance.
“I’m pleased to once again lead the ROUTERS Act, along with my fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congresswoman Kelly, to protect Americans from cyber threats posed by foreign-adversary controlled technology,” Rep. Latta said.
“We are going to continue our efforts to make sure communist China cannot surveil, manipulate, and undermine the American people,” he added. “The ROUTERS Act is a good step toward that worthwhile goal.”
News: FederalLegislation DataSecurity