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H.R. 1717: Communications Security Act

119th Congress · introduced 2025-02-27 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

Communications Security Act

Plain summary

Communications Security Act This bill provides statutory authority for a council established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to provide advice regarding the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks. (This advice is currently provided by the FCC’s Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council.) The bill specifies that the FCC may designate an existing advisory committee to fulfill this role, provided the committee’s membership is modified, as necessary, to comply with membership requirements set forth in the bill. Specifically, the bill requires the council to include, to the extent practicable, representatives of companies in the communications industry; public interest organizations or academic institutions; and federal, state, tribal, and local governments (with at least one member representing each level of government). Members are to be selected by the FCC's chair and generally may not include representatives of entities owned or controlled by, or subject to the influence of, a foreign adversary, or otherwise deemed to pose a threat to U.S. national security. Under current law, federal advisory committees must generally terminate after two years unless they are renewed or a statute specifies a different termination date. However, the bill exempts the council from this requirement.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Communications Security Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8] · 1 cosponsors

Money: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 1717, Communications Security Act (2025-06-27) No linked contracts or vendors yet.

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.
Statute
A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-hr1717 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills