PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Congressional Research Service
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People & committees
Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Oct 1, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2026-09-16 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed Communications and Technology Transparency Act of 2026 would change how the federal communications regulator adds technology and services to a security-risk list and removes them. It would limit new listings to products or services from entities controlled by a foreign adversary and require explanations to Congress. Businesses supplying covered technology or services, and their affiliates, would face a broad licensing ban, with an exception for equipment authorizations.
This Act may be cited as the Communications and Technology Transparency Act of 2026.
the Commission may not place any information and communications technology or service on the list published under subsection (a) unless such information and communications technology or service is produced or provided by an entity controlled by a foreign adversary.
shall submit a report to Congress that includes— (i) an identification of the technology or service being placed on the list; and (ii) an explanation of the specific national security concern that served as the basis for the determination.
in order to place additional information and communications technology or services on the list published under subsection (a) or to remove information and communications technology or services from such list in accordance with subparagraph (B).
(a) In general No authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the Commission may be obtained, held, or controlled by a covered entity. (b) Limitation Subsection (a) does not apply to an equipment authorization issued by the Commission under subpart J of part 2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation). (c) Covered entity defined In this section, the term covered entity means the following: (1) An entity that produces or provides any covered information and communications technology or service. (2) An affiliate (as defined in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153)) of an entity described in paragraph (1).
Section 2 would replace references to communications equipment with references to information and communications technology throughout much of the 2019 law. It expressly excludes section 4 of that existing law from these general replacements and uses a federal regulation to define the new terminology.
(1) by striking communications equipment or service each place it appears (except in section 4) and inserting information and communications technology or service; (2) by striking communications equipment or services each place it appears (except in section 4) and inserting information and communications technology or services; (3) by striking equipment or service each place it appears (except in section 4) and inserting technology or service;
The term information and communications technology or services has the meaning given such term in section 791.2 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
Section 2 would add an order requirement to the existing list-placement provision. It would also make corresponding terminology changes in the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 and section 1709 of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization law.
in subsection (b), by inserting adopt an order to before place;
Section 2(a)(2) of the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 (47 U.S.C. 1601 note) is amended by striking covered communications equipment or services and inserting covered information and communications technology or services.
Section 1709 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159) is amended— (A) by striking communications equipment or services each place it appears and inserting information and communications technology or services;
Section 3 would revise the determinations used as grounds for listing technology or services. One revised ground would be a Commerce Secretary decision under the cited regulations to prohibit a transaction, provided the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information files written notice with the Commission.
A determination by the Secretary of Commerce under part 791 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation), to prohibit a transaction with respect to the information and communications technology or service, if the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information has filed with the Commission a written notification of such determination.
Section 3 would remove two existing paragraphs, renumber the remaining paragraphs, and add a ground for listing technology or services that section 1709 of the fiscal year 2025 defense authorization law requires to be listed. The supplied text does not reproduce the removed provisions or that defense-law requirement.
(1) by striking paragraphs (1) and (4); (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively;
(3) The information and communications technology or service being required to be added to the list by section 1709 of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118–159).
The changes in section 3 would not themselves affect the inclusion of technology or services already on the covered list before enactment.
The amendments made by this section may not be construed to affect the inclusion, on the covered list, of any information and communications technology or service included on the covered list before the date of the enactment of this Act.
Section 4 would require list updates at least once every six months, replacing the requirement to update periodically. The Commission would monitor relevant decisions and reversals to identify additions and removals.
by striking periodically update and inserting update, not less frequently than once every 6 months,
The Commission shall monitor the making or reversing of the determinations described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c) in order to place additional information and communications technology or services on the list published under subsection (a) or to remove information and communications technology or services from such list in accordance with subparagraph (B).
An agency's reversal of a decision supporting a listing would trigger a conditional removal process. The agency head would have to send the reversal and reasons to the Assistant Secretary, who would pass them to the Commission. After notice and an opportunity for public comment, the Commission would have to order removal within 180 days of receiving that notice, but only if the other removal conditions are met.
the Commission shall, after providing notice and opportunity for comment, adopt an order removing such technology or service from the list published under subsection (a) not later than 180 days after receiving notice of such reversed determination from the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, if— (i) the head of such agency provides notice to the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information of such reversed determination and the related reasoning; (ii) the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information provides notice of such reversed determination, and the related reasoning, to the Commission;
Removal after a reversal would also require that no other qualifying decision still supports the listing. After considering comments, the Commission would independently have to find that the technology or service does not pose an unacceptable risk to national security or to the security and safety of United States persons.
(iii) no other determination described in paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c) (other than such reversed determination) continues to provide a basis for inclusion on such list; and (iv) the Commission determines, after considering any comments provided during the opportunity for comment, and irrespective of such reversed determination, that such technology or service does not pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons.
Starting at enactment, section 5 would bar new listings unless the technology or service is produced or provided by an entity controlled by a foreign adversary. It defines foreign adversary by reference to the existing statutory definition of “covered nation”; the supplied text does not identify those nations.
On and after the date of the enactment of this subsection, the Commission may not place any information and communications technology or service on the list published under subsection (a) unless such information and communications technology or service is produced or provided by an entity controlled by a foreign adversary.
the term foreign adversary has the meaning given the term covered nation in section 4872(f)(2) of title 10, United States Code.
At least seven days before a listing, the Commission and any applicable agency head whose decision supported it would have to report to Congress. The report would identify the technology or service and explain the specific national security concern. It would be unclassified but could include a classified attachment.
Not later than 7 days before the Commission places information and communications technology or service on the list, the Commission and, if applicable, the head of any agency that made the determination that served as the basis for the placement of the technology or service on the list, shall submit a report to Congress that includes— (i) an identification of the technology or service being placed on the list; and (ii) an explanation of the specific national security concern that served as the basis for the determination.
The report required by subparagraph (A) shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
Adding or removing a whole class or category of technology or services without identifying a producer or provider would be treated as a “major rule” for Congressional Review Act purposes. This is a statutory classification for congressional review; the source does not reproduce the procedures attached to it.
(f) Applicability of congressional review act The placement on or removal from the list published under subsection (a) of a class or category of information and communications technology or service without reference to an entity that produced or provided that technology shall be deemed a major rule, as defined in section 804 of title 5, United States Code, for the purposes of chapter 8 of that title.
Section 6 would require the Commission to forward written notices of technology or services posing an unacceptable security risk to the Commerce Secretary within 60 days of receiving them, for review under the cited Commerce regulations.
If the Commission receives written notification of an information and communications technology or service that poses an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States or the security and safety of United States persons, the Commission shall, not later than 60 days after the date on which the Commission receives such notification, transmit such notification to the Secretary of Commerce for review with respect to part 791 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
Section 7 would require the Commission and Commerce Secretary to meet about the list within 90 days after enactment and every 90 days afterward. Heads of appropriate national security agencies would have to be given an opportunity to attend.
Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this subsection, and every 90 days thereafter, the Commission and the Secretary of Commerce shall meet for purposes of consultation with respect to the list published under subsection (a).
The Commission and the Secretary of Commerce shall provide the head of each appropriate national security agency the opportunity to attend each meeting described under paragraph (1)
The Commission would have to send Congress an unclassified report on the meetings' results within one year after the first meeting and annually afterward, covering the preceding year.
Not later than 1 year after the date on which the initial meeting required under paragraph (1) occurs, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report, in unclassified form, on the results of the meetings under such paragraph during the preceding year.
Section 8 would prohibit covered entities from obtaining, holding, or controlling any Commission authorization, license, or other grant of authority, subject to the equipment exception. Covered entities would include producers or providers of covered technology or services and their affiliates, using an existing statutory definition of affiliate.
(a) In general No authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the Commission may be obtained, held, or controlled by a covered entity. (b) Limitation Subsection (a) does not apply to an equipment authorization issued by the Commission under subpart J of part 2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
the term covered entity means the following: (1) An entity that produces or provides any covered information and communications technology or service. (2) An affiliate (as defined in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153)) of an entity described in paragraph (1).
The new licensing prohibition would exclude equipment authorizations issued under the specified Commission regulations or their successors. That exception concerns this new prohibition; it does not itself establish eligibility under other equipment-authorization rules.
Subsection (a) does not apply to an equipment authorization issued by the Commission under subpart J of part 2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
Section 9 would specify that the Commission need not review or revoke an equipment authorization solely because the equipment is listed if the authorization predates the listing. The proposed provision would not prohibit either action; the supplied text does not establish whether existing law requires it.
The Commission is not required to review or revoke any equipment authorization on the basis that relevant equipment is on the list described in paragraph (2) if such equipment authorization was granted before the date on which such equipment was placed on such list.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated October 1, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 16, 2026. This snapshot does not establish any later legislative outcome.
Source snapshot updated 2026-10-01T20:47:33Z. 2026-09-16: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 2026-09-16: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2026-09-16. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy rider attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to this version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to this version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
Narrow regulatory exceptions warrant scrutiny as targeted benefits. This classification is not a finding of improper favoritism.
Covered producers, providers, and affiliates would receive an exception from the bill's new licensing prohibition for equipment authorizations under the specified regulations. The exception does not establish an exemption from other applicable equipment rules.
(a) In general No authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the Commission may be obtained, held, or controlled by a covered entity. (b) Limitation Subsection (a) does not apply to an equipment authorization issued by the Commission under subpart J of part 2 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
the term covered entity means the following: (1) An entity that produces or provides any covered information and communications technology or service. (2) An affiliate (as defined in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153)) of an entity described in paragraph (1).
Holders of equipment authorizations granted before the equipment's listing would receive a timing-based exception: the Commission would not be required to review or revoke their authorizations because of that listing. The provision would not guarantee continued authorization or bar discretionary review.
The Commission is not required to review or revoke any equipment authorization on the basis that relevant equipment is on the list described in paragraph (2) if such equipment authorization was granted before the date on which such equipment was placed on such list.
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