Foreign Telecom Committee (E.O. 13913)

Summary

Establishes a committee to review foreign companies in the US telecom sector and advise the FCC on national security and law enforcement risks.

What problem does this solve?

Foreign companies operating in the U.S. telecom sector could pose a threat to national security. This order creates a formal committee to review these companies and recommend actions to protect the country's networks.

What does this order do?

Creates a new review committee

Establishes the Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation in the United States Telecommunications Services Sector to review security risks.

Defines committee leadership and members

Names the Attorney General as the Chair, with the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security as members.

Sets review timelines

Requires an initial review of applications to be completed within 120 days and a more in-depth secondary assessment within 90 days.

Empowers committee to make recommendations

Allows the committee to recommend that the FCC deny, approve with conditions, modify, or revoke licenses based on security risks.

Requires intelligence threat analysis

Mandates the Director of National Intelligence to provide a written threat assessment for each application or license under review.

Establishes a process for disputes

Outlines a voting and review process for when committee members or advisors disagree on a recommendation, including notifying the President.

Who does this affect?

Foreign telecommunications companies
U.S. telecommunications sector
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

What is the real world impact?

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Protects critical infrastructure

Formalizes the review process for foreign companies in the U.S. telecommunications market to prevent potential spying, sabotage, or other national security threats from foreign governments.

When does this start?

This order takes effect on April 4, 2020, and sets several deadlines for the new committee's review process.

Initial application review

Must be completed within 120 days after an applicant provides all requested information.

Secondary application assessment

If needed, a more detailed assessment must be finished within 90 days of being started.

Committee implementation plan

Committee members must create a Memorandum of Understanding outlining how they will operate within 90 days of the order.

Intelligence threat assessment

The Director of National Intelligence must provide a threat analysis within 30 days of a request.

Advisor opposition period

Committee advisors have 21 days to state their opposition to a committee recommendation.