Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Congressman Rob Wittman’s (R-VA) Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency (FACT) Act that bolsters national security and protects American telecommunications infrastructure from malign foreign influence passed on the House floor with bipartisan support.
“Today, the House took decisive action to safeguard America’s communications networks from the growing threats posed by Communist China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea,” said Congresswoman Stefanik. “I have long advocated for the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act, which delivers long-overdue transparency and accountability by requiring the FCC to identify foreign adversary-controlled entities operating under FCC licenses. Our national security must never be compromised by entities aligned with our greatest geopolitical foes, and this bill equips us to confront and deter these threats head-on.”
“I applaud Congresswoman Stefanik for her strong leadership and thoughtful work to counter the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party and other authoritarian state actors. This bipartisan legislation would strengthen American’s national security by bolstering the FCC’s efforts to identify and address the threats posed by foreign adversaries. I encourage Congress to move quickly in passing this commonsense bill,” said Chairman Brendan Carr of the Federal Communications Commission.
The Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act mandates that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) annually publish a list of all licensed communications entities that are owned or controlled by adversarial foreign governments or companies—specifically those based in China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea.
Under the bill, the FCC will:
- Publish a list of all cable landing license holders or auction-won licensees with significant foreign adversary investment or control;
- Develop and implement rules to collect ownership data for all other licensees;
- Identify and publicly disclose entities in which adversarial governments or their subsidiaries hold a significant equity or voting interest.
This bill marks a major step forward in protecting U.S. critical infrastructure, increasing transparency in the communications sector, and strengthening America’s resilience against foreign surveillance and sabotage.
The bill now advances to the Senate for consideration.
Congresswoman Stefanik originally introduced the FACT Act in October 2022 and reintroduced the legislation in February 2023 at the start of a new Congress. In February 2024, the FACT Act received a legislative hearing in the House Energy and Commerce’s Communications and Technology Subcommittee and went on to pass the House with unanimous bipartisan support. Stefanik advocated for her bill on the House floor ahead of its passage. Earlier this month, Stefanik celebrated the FACT Act’s advancement through the Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Read more about the bill here.
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