HR 1149 United States House · 118th Congress

Countering Untrusted Telecommunications Abroad Act

HR 1149 requires the U.S. government to monitor and report on the use of Huawei and ZTE telecommunications equipment in allies' 5G networks and U.S. embassy systems. It mandates annual reports detailing which countries use untrusted equipment, which carriers are affected, and plans to replace such technology. The bill also adds new SEC disclosure rules for companies using Huawei/ZTE equipment, requiring them to report details about network usage, replacements, and future plans. These provisions directly affect U.S. allies with defense agreements, U.S. embassies, and telecommunications companies operating in the U.S. or with U.S. ties. The law aims to promote "trusted" telecommunications infrastructure through transparency and reporting, without specifying new funding or penalties.
Sub-Topics: Telecommunications
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2023
Committee Review
Apr 2023
House Passage
Apr 2023
Senate Passage
President
Introduced Feb 21, 2023 Last action Apr 20, 2023
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House Engrossed in House · 4 edits · Apr 19, 2023
MODERATE
The Engrossed version removes an entire section (former Section 6) that would have required public companies to disclose in their SEC filings whether they or their affiliates used covered telecommunications equipment or services, including details about mobile network use, cloud computing, vendor replacements, and future procurement plans. The removed provision also required the SEC to transmit such disclosures to the President and congressional committees and post them publicly online. This is a significant reduction in the bill's transparency and accountability mechanisms regarding untrusted telecom equipment.
Scope change
The bill's scope narrowed by removing a major transparency and disclosure mechanism that would have applied to all public companies using covered telecommunications equipment or services, eliminating both the company-level reporting obligation and the government-level public dissemination requirement.
ENFORCEMENT

Removed a requirement that public companies (issuers) disclose in annual and quarterly SEC reports whether they or their affiliates used covered telecommunications equipment or services, including specific details about mobile network deployment, cloud computing use, vendor replacements, and planned future use.

Removed the requirement that the SEC transmit such disclosures to the President, House and Senate committees, and post them publicly on the SEC website.

TIMELINE

Removed the 180-day effective date provision that would have governed when the new disclosure requirements began applying to SEC filings.

TECHNICAL

Renumbered former Section 7 (Definitions) as Section 6 due to the removal of the intervening section. The definitions content itself is unchanged.

Floor votes · House Apr 19, 2023

How they voted

4108
Passed · 17 other
Total votes 435
Apr 19, 2023
D Democratic213
199 Yea 4 Nay 10
93% Yea
I Independent1
1 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican221
210 Yea 4 Nay 7
95% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
13
Key actions
2
Committee
3
Amendments
2
Apr 20, 2023
Committee
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
upper
Apr 19, 2023
Introduced
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 410 - 8 (Roll no. 189). (text: 4/17/2023 CR H1733)
lower
Apr 19, 2023
Lower · Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 410 - 8 (Roll no. 189). (text: 4/17/2023 CR H1733)
lower
Apr 17, 2023
Introduced
Mr. Mast moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
lower
Feb 28, 2023
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
lower
Feb 21, 2023
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Feb 21, 2023
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors