This bill requires the FCC to publicly identify telecommunications license holders with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia. The agency must annually publish lists of entities holding cable landing licenses or auction-granted licenses that have foreign adversary connections, and must establish rules to collect ownership information from all other licensees. The goal is to increase transparency about foreign influence in U.S. communications infrastructure.
Latest Action
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AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill requires the FCC to publicly identify telecommunications license holders with ties to China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia. The agency must annually publish lists of entities holding cable landing licenses or auction-granted licenses that have foreign adversary connections, and must establish rules to collect ownership information from all other licensees. The goal is to increase transparency about foreign influence in U.S. communications infrastructure.
Last updated: 1/4/2026
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act</strong></p><p>This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to annually publish a list of entities that hold a license or other authorization granted by the FCC and have ties to specified foreign countries.</p><p>With respect to entities holding cable landing licenses (for the placement and operation of submarine communications cables) or other licenses granted via competitive auction, the FCC must publish a list of all such entities (1) in which a covered entity holds a specified voting or equity interest, or (2) that have been determined by a national security agency to be subject to the control of a covered entity. </p><p>With respect to entities holding all other categories of FCC licenses or other authorizations, the FCC must first issue rules facilitating the collection of information on such licensees’ ownership structure. After that information is obtained, the FCC must add to the published list any such entity in which a covered entity holds a specified voting or equity interest. </p><p>Under the bill, a <em>covered entity</em> is defined as an entity organized in China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia; a subsidiary of such an entity; or the government of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia.</p>
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Requires annual FCC publication of licensees with foreign adversary ties
Covers cable landing licenses and auction-granted authorizations
Defines covered entities as those organized in or controlled by China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia
Mandates new rules for collecting ownership information from all FCC licensees
Includes subsidiaries and foreign government-controlled entities
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This legislation addresses growing concerns about foreign adversary influence in U.S. telecommunications. For consumers, it provides transparency about which companies operating U.S. communications infrastructure have foreign ties. For businesses, it may create additional compliance requirements for ownership disclosure. For national security, it gives regulators and the public better visibility into potential security risks in the communications sector.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Science, Technology, Communications
Related Subjects
Asia
Caribbean area
China
Corporate finance and management
Cuba
Foreign and international corporations
Government information and archives
Iran
Latin America
Licensing and registrations
+4 more
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
259, 119th Congress (2025). "Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-259
