Sens. Cruz, Cortez Masto Reintroduce E-FRONTIER Act
Bipartisan bill would put into place limitations to prevent nationalization of 5G networks without the approval of Congress
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today joined Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) in reintroducing the Eliminate From Regulators Opportunities to Nationalize The Internet in Every Respect Act (E-FRONTIER Act). This bipartisan legislation would put into place protections for commercial 5G broadband networks from nationalization without the explicit authorization from Congress. Reps. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), and Filemon Vela (D-Texas) will introduce a House companion bill shortly.
"Last year, the United States made tremendous strides as a global leader in mobile broadband technology," Sen. Cruz said. "There is no denying that China and other competitors remain, therefore we must continue our efforts to further build, deploy, and secure 5G networks. In order to achieve our full potential as the dominant mobile broadband technology leader, it is imperative we prevent government overreach in 5G nationalization efforts. That's why I am reintroducing the E-FRONTIER Act, a crucial piece of legislation that would prevent federal overreach in the private sector, while maintaining Congress' role in the decision-making process."
"Fostering broad public and private partnerships that expand 5G networks and ensure they're secure is critical to fueling America's innovation and driving our economy," said Senator Cortez Masto. "Various attempts to nationalize America's broadband network are a threat to our competitiveness in the world. We must continue to focus our efforts in Congress on fostering the growth of America's 5G infrastructure through private investment and ensure we're developing a secure and reliable set of broadband networks that serve all Americans, including those currently underserved in urban and rural America."
Sens. Cruz and Cortez Masto have been leading advocates against the nationalization of 5G networks. The senators penned a letter last February to administration officials, claiming, "that any proposals that consider nationalizing these [5G] networks will only have a chilling effect on private investment and result in a radical shift in the management of our nation's telecommunication's networks." Sen. Cruz has been a strong leader in raising these concerns to President Trump and his administration, and as a member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Transportation, and Science he urged officials to address these concerns during a hearing with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, and in a hearing with National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator David Redl, where Mr. Redl publicly rejected the effort to nationalize 5G.
Read the full text of the bill here.
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