Bill

H.R. 1717 (119th): Communications Security Act

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.

house · Substantive

Rankings updated October 26, 2026, 11:44 AM ET · Votes through September 30, 2026
Exported candidates: 719 | Filings on file, by office: H: 5838 | P: 1467 | S: 1567. These counts include every filing for that office, so they are larger than the ranked list. One person can have more than one filing. Non-voting delegates are left out.

Official source

Summary

Recorded summary

The bill would give statutory authority to a Federal Communications Commission council that advises on the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks. The FCC may designate an existing advisory committee for this role if its membership is modified to meet the bill's requirements. Membership should include, to the extent practicable, industry representatives, public interest or academic representatives, and federal, state, tribal, and local government representatives, with at least one from each level of government. The FCC chair selects members, who generally may not represent entities owned or controlled by, or subject to the influence of, a foreign adversary, or otherwise deemed a national security threat. The bill exempts the council from the usual two-year termination requirement for federal advisory committees.

advisory_committeecommunication_securitycommunications_securitynational_securitynetwork_reliability

Theological note: The bill concerns the ordinary governance of advisory bodies that help protect communications infrastructure. Scripture's call to stewardship, prudence, and sober care for the common good bears on it, since the security and reliability of networks serve public order. It raises no direct moral question about harm to persons, and its main concerns are institutional design and national security prudence rather than a clear moral evil.

Scoring

How this bill is scored

Debt and war Cloture and Tier 1 Procedural votes Scoring mechanics

Roll

Recorded votes

Roll 196 · 15-Jul-2025 2:36 PM · On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass · Passed

Yea 380 · Nay 33 · Other 19

Yea

Nay

Other

All bills · Markdown