Cybersecurity Policy Report, Trade Groups Urge ‘Rip-and-Replace’ Funding Amendment to FCC Bill, (May 3, 2024)
Organizations Mentioned:Federal Aviation Administration | Telecommunications Industry Association
By Lynn Stanton
Eight trade associations representing various parts of the wireless communications sector have urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) to allow an amendment to fund the FCC’s Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program — also known as the rip-and-replace program — to be considered for a must-pass Federal Aviation Administration bill.
S. Amdt. 1917 to the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (HR 3935), which is being proposed by Sens. Steve Daines (R., Mont.), Roger Wicker (R., Miss.), and Cynthia Lummis (R., Wyo.), would “provide full and immediate funding for the Program’s current $3.08 billion shortfall, fully offset by future spectrum auction proceeds. Full funding will enable wireless carriers participating in the Program to remove untrusted communications equipment from their networks and replace it with trusted alternatives. Congress must use this opportunity to fund the Program and avoid profound negative unintended consequences to carriers and consumers across the nation,” the groups said.
“The situation is dire, and if Congress does not seize this opportunity to fully fund the Program, it is very likely Americans will experience catastrophic losses in connectivity across the country as soon as this summer. Many Program participants, especially in Western states, including those serving Tribal lands will be forced to decide where to remove covered equipment and not replace it, eliminating services available today, both to their subscribers as well to anyone that roams onto their networks,” they added.
“Failure to fully fund the Program also means that untrusted equipment remains in service in the United States, including near military bases, airports, and other areas of strategic importance. Every day that passes increases the risk of devastating network failures as this untrusted equipment remains in networks and cannot be maintained,” they said.
The signatories are the Competitive Carriers Association, NATE, NTCA, the Rural Wireless Association, the Telecommunications Industry Association, the Wireless Infrastructure Association, WISPA, and WTA.
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