Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has teamed up with Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Dave McCormick (R-PA), and John Fetterman (D-PA) to introduce a bipartisan bill banning Chinese-made optical transceivers.
What the Bill Does
Sen. Gallego's Securing National Security Systems from Chinese Optical Transceivers Act bans the use of Chinese-made optical transceivers in federal security systems.
Optical transceivers are computer hardware that convert electrical signals into light pulses to carry data. The problem is that they are reprogrammable, so using Chinese transceivers in federal security systems poses a serious risk.
The bill builds off of the existing federal procurement restriction on semiconductors, giving suppliers five years to develop compliant sources and providing waivers where necessary.
What Lawmakers are Saying
"Optical transceivers are a critical part of America's modern communications infrastructure, and we need to make sure that infrastructure is secure," said Sen. Gallego in his press release. "Our reliance on China to produce these transceivers creates a serious national security vulnerability. This legislation protects our most sensitive systems and invests in Arizona manufacturers, who are already helping build a secure supply chain here at home."
Similarly, Sen. Cornyn said, "Critical government communication and information systems must be safe, reliable, and free of any foreign interference, but the use of Chinese technology undermines that mission. I am proud to cosponsor Senator McCormick's Securing National Security Systems from Chinese Optical Transceivers Act, which will extend the common-sense procurement restrictions I worked to include in the Fiscal Year 2023 NDAA and support American jobs."
"We shouldn't rely on China for technologies that are essential to our national security," Sen. McCormick stated. "This bipartisan bill will help secure our networks and give American manufacturers—including the incredible companies and workers we have right here in Pennsylvania— the opportunity to step up, build more of this technology at home, and compete."
Finally, Sen. Fetterman said, "Fiber-optic networks are the digital highways that make our economy run at the speed of light. Just like we use American-made steel to build federal highways and bridges, we should also be using American-made equipment in our fiber-optic networks wherever possible. I am proud to join my colleagues to ensure our critical information networks do not rely on Chinese-made optical transceivers."
