The US House of Representatives is preparing to vote on a defense bill that would allocate $3 billion to help telecommunications companies remove and replace equipment manufactured by Chinese firms Huawei and ZTE from American networks.
The funding is part of the National Defense Authorization Act's 2025 budget and aims to address ongoing national security concerns regarding Chinese-made telecommunications infrastructure.
This new allocation would help bridge a major funding gap in the existing "rip and replace" program. While $1.9 billion was previously earmarked for removing potentially insecure equipment, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) estimates the total cost will reach nearly $5 billion.
FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel recently emphasized the risks of leaving the funding gap unfilled, noting that it threatens both network security and connectivity in rural areas. She pointed out that removing the Chinese equipment without proper replacement funding could leave some rural regions without their only network, impacting critical services including emergency 911 access.
The initiative affects 126 US operators, primarily serving communities with fewer than 10 million customers. These companies can claim expenses for costs related to removing and replacing Chinese-made equipment.
This latest push follows a 2019 Congressional mandate requiring the removal of Chinese equipment from US networks. The Biden administration had previously requested $3.1 billion for this purpose in 2023, but Congress did not approve that request.
The US is not alone in these efforts. The United Kingdom has also mandated the removal of Huawei technology from its 5G public networks by the end of 2027, citing similar security concerns.
The upcoming vote is part of a broader set of measures outlined in an 1,800-page document that addresses various China-related concerns, including assessments of China's biotechnology capabilities and potential efforts to circumvent US security regulations.