Secure Space Act of 2025
This bill prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from granting satellite licenses or earth station authorizations, including U.S. market access for foreign-licensed satellites, to specified foreign entities of concern and their affiliates. (Earth stations, also commonly known as ground stations, are earth-based radio stations that communicate with satellites. A grant of U.S. market access permits one or more foreign-licensed satellites to communicate with one or more U.S.-licensed earth stations.)
Specifically, the FCC may not grant a satellite license, an earth station authorization, or market access to any entity, or an affiliate thereof, that produces or provides communications equipment or services deemed to pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States. (The FCC maintains a list of such equipment and services, known as the Covered List. Providers of such equipment and services include, for example, Huawei Technologies Company and ZTE Corporation.)
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2458 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2458
To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to
prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license
or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite
system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an
authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a
blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access,
or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces
or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an
affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 27, 2025
Mr. Pallone (for himself and Mr. Guthrie) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to
prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license
or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite
system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an
authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a
blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access,
or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces
or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an
affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Secure Space Act of 2025''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON GRANT OF CERTAIN SATELLITE LICENSES, UNITED
STATES MARKET ACCESS, OR EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATIONS.
(a) In General.--The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act
of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sections 10 and 11 as sections 11 and
12, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 9 the following:
``SEC. 10. PROHIBITION ON GRANT OF CERTAIN SATELLITE LICENSES, UNITED
STATES MARKET ACCESS, OR EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATIONS.
``(a) In General.--The Commission may not grant a license for, or a
petition for a declaratory ruling to access the United States market
using, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary
orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually
licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if such
license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or
controlled by--
``(1) an entity that produces or provides any covered
communications equipment or service; or
``(2) an affiliate (as defined in section 3 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153)) of an entity
described in paragraph (1).
``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Blanket-licensed earth station.--The term `blanket-
licensed earth station' means an earth station that is licensed
with a geostationary orbit satellite system or a
nongeostationary orbit satellite system.
``(2) Gateway station.--The term `gateway station' means an
earth station or a group of earth stations that--
``(A) supports the routing and switching functions
of a geostationary orbit satellite system or a
nongeostationary orbit satellite system;
``(B) may also be used for telemetry, tracking, and
command transmissions;
``(C) does not originate or terminate communication
traffic; and
``(D) is not for the exclusive use of any customer.
``(3) Individually licensed earth station.--The term
`individually licensed earth station' means--
``(A) an earth station (other than a blanket-
licensed earth station) that sends a signal to, and
receives a signal from, a geostationary orbit satellite
system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system; or
``(B) a gateway station.''.
(b) Applicability.--Section 10 of the Secure and Trusted
Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a), shall
apply with respect to the grant of a license, petition, or
authorization on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Rules.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall issue rules to
implement section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks
Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 52 - 1.
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-65.
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-65.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 42.
Mr. Bilirakis moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1652-1653)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2458.
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1652)
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On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1652)
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.