Communications Security Act

This bill tells the FCC to set up a council that gives advice on how to make our phone and internet networks more secure, more reliable, and able to work well together. The FCC can create a new council or use an existing one if it meets the rules. The council must be formed within 90 days of the law taking effect. Every two years, it must deliver reports with recommendations, and the FCC must post those reports on its website.

Members are chosen by the FCC chair and should include people from communications companies, public-interest or academic groups, and government at the federal, state, local, and Tribal levels (at least one from each). Members need relevant knowledge and experience and generally serve two-year terms. The chair may exclude “not trusted” entities, and members generally may not come from groups tied to foreign adversaries or national security risks. Unlike most federal advisory committees, this council does not automatically end after two years .

Key points

• Who is involved: Industry experts, public-interest or academic voices, and officials from all levels of government, appointed by the FCC chair.
• What changes: A standing FCC council gives ongoing advice; its reports are public. Members tied to untrusted or foreign adversary–influenced entities are excluded .
• When: Council set up within 90 days; reports due every two years; member terms are two years; the council does not automatically expire .