# Plain Language Summary: Defend Our Networks Act

This bill takes $3.08 billion in leftover money from COVID-19 relief programs and redirects it to help telecommunications companies replace equipment made by Chinese manufacturers that the government considers a security risk. Specifically, the money goes to the Federal Communications Commission to fund a reimbursement program that pays telecom companies to rip out and replace networking equipment from companies like Huawei and ZTE, which U.S. officials worry could be used for espionage or cyberattacks.

The bill essentially recycles money that was appropriated during the pandemic but never fully spent. Instead of returning it to the general treasury, Congress is redirecting these unobligated balances from various COVID relief laws—including the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan—toward this national security initiative. The money will be pulled proportionally from different COVID programs, and the FCC has 90 days to receive and distribute it.

For everyday people, this matters because it affects the reliability and security of the phone and internet networks you use. Telecom companies have been required to remove equipment from these Chinese manufacturers from their networks, but many smaller carriers lacked the funding to do so quickly. This bill accelerates that process by providing the money to pay for replacements. The practical effect is that your internet and phone infrastructure should become more secure from potential foreign interference, though you likely won't notice any immediate changes in your service. The bill also increases the total funding cap for this program from $1.9 billion to $4.98 billion, giving the FCC more resources to complete the equipment replacement nationwide.

Defend Our Networks Act

Hinson, Ashley

Defend Our Networks ActThis bill requires certain unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19 to be transferred to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for carrying out the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. (Under the program, the FCC reimburses certain providers of advanced communications services for reasonable expenses incurred in the removal, replacement, and disposal of communications equipment and services produced or provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation.)