October 19: Event With FCC Commissioner Carr On Expanding The Covered List.
On Tuesday, October 19, China Tech Threat is hosting a virtual event with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr on expanding the FCC’s Covered List. The 2019 Secure and Trusted Networks Act directs the FCC to establish a “Covered List” of communications equipment and services that pose an unacceptable risk to our national security. CTT’s Dr. Roslyn Layton, Commissioner Carr, CNAS’ Martijn Rasser, CSET’s Emily Weinstein, National Security Lawyer Jordan Brunner and the Telecom Industry Association’s Colin Andrews will discuss current proceedings on the Covered List. Click here for additional details and to register. For more on the FCC proposed rule and comments CTT filed advising the agency on how to ensure the Covered List of vulnerable equipment vendors is current and relevant, click here.
Call To Action: Join CTT Letter Endorsing The Secure Equipment Act, FCC Covered List.
As a next step in the FCC’s process to restrict equipment authorizations from companies on the FCC’s “Covered List,” CTT is driving a joint letter effort to endorse support for the FCC proceeding and the bipartisan Secure Equipment Act of 2021, sponsored in the Senate by Edward Markey and Marco Rubio and in the House of Representatives by Steve Scalise and Anna G. Eshoo. The letter closes tomorrow (10/15). These two policy efforts affirm support for the rule of law, the necessary defense against foreign aggression, and robust competition by actors which respect U.S. law. To learn more about the letter and join as a signer, email [email protected] or [email protected].
BIS Nominee Advances In Senate, Expresses Deep Concern About China’s Military-Civil Fusion Threat.
Following approval by the Senate Banking Committee on October 5, Alan Estevez’s confirmation to serve as Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security (BIS) will now advance to the full Senate. In response to prepared Questions for the Record, Mr. Estevez stated, “I am deeply concerned about the People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) efforts to seek U.S. technologies to further its military modernization, such as through diverting items from civilian to military applications (i.e., its military-civil fusion strategy), creating illicit procurement networks, and stealing intellectual property, among other destabilizing activities. If confirmed, I [will] appropriately use the authorities of BIS under the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) of 2018 to protect our national security and foreign policy interests while strengthening our technological innovation and leadership.”
Cybersecurity Threats In The States: Risk Assessment Update.
China Tech Threat released a memo on its project to assess the threat of banned Chinese technology in each state. Through Freedom Of Information (FOIA) requests and even legal action to obtain information when necessary, the project to date has found that 38 had contracts with banned Chinese tech companies and more than $50 million has been spent by states on these risky tech contracts. Despite legal action to obtain information, Tennessee, Maine and New Jersey have yet to release data which could leave residents and infrastructure vulnerable to cyber threats.
CTT And Hudson Institute Discuss Decoupling From China.
In September, China Tech Threat’s Dr. Roslyn Layton sat down with Hudson Institute’s Arthur Herman to discuss his recently launched Hamilton Commission, the future of the Bureau of Industry and Security, the importance of the U.S decoupling from China and ensuring that companies such as YMTC cannot enter the U.S market. Watch the event here.