Senate Commerce Committee Passes NET Act

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2025 – The Senate Commerce Committee led by Chairman Ted Cruz, R-Texas, yesterday passed the Network Equipment Transparency Act, a bill designed to track the reliability of the broadband supply chain. 

The bipartisan bill, passed by voice vote, would require the Federal Communications Commission in its biennial Communications Marketplace Report to “assess, to the extent that data is available to the [FCC], how the availability of network equipment may have impacted the deployment of advanced telecommunications capability during the applicable reporting period.

Introduced in February by Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., the bill was cosponsored by Sens. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Gary Peters D-Mich. 

In a Feb. 11 press release introducing the legislation, Hickenlooper noted the detrimental effects of supply chain disruptions on rolling out broadband.

“Previous supply chain disruptions have delayed broadband infrastructure projects,” he said. “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.”

In that same press release, Moran emphasized the intended impact this legislation will have on rural areas.

“In this digital age, access to reliable internet can determine the success of farms, businesses and even health care in rural communities,” said Moran. “Adding transparency to the supply chains that support broadband infrastructure projects will help speed up the rollout of programs designed to increase internet activity for rural America.”