A bipartisan group of senators has renewed legislation to more quickly identify issues that could cause delays in the flow of equipment needed to build out U.S. broadband networks.
The Network Equipment Transparency, or NET, Act would direct the Federal Communications Commission to inform Congress about emerging supply chain problems that could get in the way of deployment. The idea, according to lawmakers, is to make sure federal broadband programs stay on track by increasing broadband supply chain transparency.
"In order to effectively connect our communities, it's critical that our federal agencies work to address any potential problems that would slow or hinder this process of deployment," said one of the bill's sponsors, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., in a statement Tuesday. "I'm proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the NET Act, which will provide us with another tool to monitor the supply chain so these crucial projects can be executed in a timely manner."
Under the bill, the FCC would be required to describe supply chain disruptions in the FCC's Communications Marketplace Report, if they impact the "timely completion or deployment of broadband infrastructure projects," Capito's office said.
The marketplace report comes out every two years under federal law and includes detailed information about the state of deployment. In last year's report, passed by the FCC in December, the agency noted that "building secure and resilient supply chains" was part of a five-pronged approach to ensuring the delivery of 5G technology.
Capito's office said the FCC needs to make any disruption to the supply chain a feature of the report, especially since the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act poured billions into broadband projects. "This bill would help to identify supply chain issues earlier so they can be addressed with less impact on these ongoing projects."
The FCC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday.
West Virginia relies heavily on IIJA deployment funds. Capito's office said previous supply disruptions have delayed broadband infrastructure projects and that 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."
Along with Capito, Sens. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., are sponsoring the bill.
Hickenlooper introduced similar legislation two years ago, and a previous version passed the Senate Commerce Committee in 2023.