Senator Moran Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Broadband Supply Chain

US Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation – joined US Senators John Hickenlooper of Colorado, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana to introduce the Network Equipment Transparency (NET) Act, a bipartisan bill to increase broadband supply chain transparency through the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in order to ensure an on-time rollout of federal broadband programs.

Broadband infrastructure projects have been affected by supply chain woes in the past. A lack of transparency into the health of the telecommunications supply chain may contribute to future equipment shortages as federal broadband programs prioritize high-speed, reliable and accessible networks. In anticipation of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for broadband projects distributed to states later this spring, the bill would help to identify these supply chain issues so they can be addressed sooner.

"In this digital age, access to reliable internet can determine the success of farms, businesses and even health care in rural communities," said Senator Moran. "Adding transparency to the supply chains that support broadband infrastructure projects will help speed up the rollout of programs designed to increase internet activity for rural America."

Specifically, the bill would require the FCC's Communications Marketplace Report to describe to Congress the impact of supply chain disruptions on the timely completion or deployment of broadband infrastructure projects.

Full text of the legislation can be found HERE.

(Information courtesy Senator Moran's Office.)