Washington, DC — Iowa Congresswoman Ashley Hinson is co-sponsoring a bill that would shift unused COVID-19 funds to help replace Chinese-made communications equipment installed in the U.S.
Hinson, a Republican from Marion, is among a bipartisan group in the House co-sponsoring a bill called the Defend Our Networks Act. A similar bill in the U.S. has bipartisan backing. The Biden Administration has prohibited the purchase of communications equipment from Huawei and ZTE, businesses that have close ties to the Chinese government. The Federal Communications Commission has banned U.S.-based networks from using the equipment.
The FCC’s “rip and replace” fund — created in 2020 — has reimburses small providers of cell or internet service that replace that Chinese equipment, but it still has about three BILLION dollars in eligible applications that haven’t been fulfilled.
Hinson says it’s critical to quickly replace Chinese-made products with secure telecom equipment and ensure Americans have private and secure connectivity.
