Hickenlooper previously led a bipartisan bill and support letter pushing for increased funding for FCC’s Rip & Replace program
Colorado set to be biggest recipient of funds in the country
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper cheered Senate passage of $3 billion to fully fund the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program – known as the Rip and Replace Program – as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The funding will help the U.S. remove Chinese-made communications equipment from our wireless networks, which currently poses a risk to U.S. national security and rural connectivity.
“Rural telecom providers put their businesses on the line to make sure Chinese companies can’t spy on Americans through our communications systems,” said Hickenlooper. “We’re finally repaying those businesses so they can maintain essential connectivity.”
The FCC’s Rip and Replace program was established to help telecommunications providers remove 24,000 pieces of Chinese-made communications equipment from U.S. networks. National security experts warn that popular equipment produced by Huawei and ZTE make U.S. communications networks vulnerable to espionage and other threats.
In addition, the recent Chinese ‘Salt Typhoon’ espionage attack targeted over a dozen American telecommunications companies and gave China real-time access to U.S. phone calls.
Until this point, the FCC’s program – which reimburses smaller telecommunications network operators when they remove, replace, and dispose of insecure equipment – was facing a $3.08 billion funding shortfall. The shortfall poses a risk to communications access in rural communities throughout the country, as providers are prohibited by the FCC from maintaining or upgrading wireless network infrastructure until insecure network elements are removed and disposed of. Without full reimbursement from the FCC for the costs of equipment removal and replacement, providers could be forced to shut down parts of their network coverage areas.
Hickenlooper led the effort to include the program funding as part of the NDAA, and has repeatedly advocated for full funding for the Rip and Replace program.
Senator Hickenlooper emphasized the need to fully fund the Rip and Replace program and reimburse rural telecom providers during a recent Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee subcommittee hearing. He previously introduced the bipartisan Defend our Networks Act to close the funding short-fall and sent a bipartisan letter with more than 30 of his Senate colleagues urging Senate leadership to act. In 2022, Hickenlooper visited Viaero Wireless in Fort Morgan to talk about the importance of broadband connectivity in rural communities, and underscore the importance of the Rip and Replace program for rural telecom providers.
Hickenlooper’s subcommittee remarks on Rip and Replace available HERE.
Full text of the FY25 NDAA is available HERE.
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