Robert Latta

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1770, the Consumer Safety Technology Act, led by the gentlewoman from Indiana's Ninth District, the gentleman from Florida's Ninth District, and the gentlewoman from Massachusetts. This legislation will require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a pilot program to explore the use of artificial intelligence in support of its product safety efforts. It would also direct the Secretary of Commerce and the Federal Trade Commission to study and report on the consumer protection applications of blockchain technology. Technology such as AI and blockchain are revolutionizing the private sector with improvements in efficiency, security, and transparency. We need to make sure the Federal Government is reaping the same benefits and using technology to its advantage. This bill would not only make these agencies more effective, but it would protect consumers in the process. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join with me in voting in favor of H.R. 1770, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out, the technologies are changing so rapidly, especially when looking at AI and blockchain and how they are revolutionizing the private sector because of the efficient security and transparency and what we need to be doing on the Federal Government side at the same time. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation with an ``aye'' vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1766) to amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act to establish the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity, and for other purposes.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1766, the NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act, led by the gentleman from California's 23rd District and the gentlewoman from Virginia's Fourth District. Cyber threats, whether originating from state actors, criminal organizations, or malicious hackers, pose significant risks to our national security, economy, and the privacy of our citizens. The increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks, like we saw last year in the Salt Typhoon attack, underscores the urgency of addressing this ever-evolving challenge. The NTIA Policy and Cybersecurity Coordination Act bolsters our Nation's cybersecurity posture by strengthening the coordination between the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, NTIA, and other relevant Federal agencies. Additionally, the bill renames the existing NTIA Office of Policy Analysis and Development to the Office of Policy Development and Cybersecurity and codifies the existing activities of the office. H.R. 1766 seeks to promote effective information sharing, collaboration, and response efforts established in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act. The legislation also facilitates public-private partnerships to develop and implement cybersecurity policies relating to communication networks. By encouraging collaboration between government agencies and stakeholders, we can work together to address cyber threats and vulnerabilities more effectively. Mr. Speaker, this bipartisan legislation passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote in the last Congress. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1766, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Obernolte), the bill's sponsor from California's 23rd District.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, as you can see from today's bills coming from the Energy and Commerce Committee, cybersecurity is high on our list to make sure we are protecting the American public. I strongly ask my colleagues to support this legislation of the gentleman from California's 23rd and the gentlewoman from Virginia's 4th District. I request an ``aye'' vote on this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1455) to codify the Institute for Telecommunication Sciences and to direct the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an initiative to support the development of emergency communication and tracking technologies, and for other purposes.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1455, the Institute for Telecommunications Sciences Codification Act, or ITS Codification Act, led by the Representative from Georgia's First District and the Representative from Colorado's Seventh District. As demand for wireless technology continues to grow, we must continue to focus on identifying potential opportunities that make more spectrum available for commercial use, including reallocating and sharing spectrum. Complex, technical engineering testing and analysis underpins these important decisions on how best to maximize our airwaves for commercial use while preserving essential Federal missions. The Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, or ITS, within NTIA plays an essential role in conducting the tests that guide spectrum reallocation or sharing decisions. ITS will also help ensure that NTIA, as the Federal spectrum manager, can continue to find opportunities to unleash commercial wireless innovation, while also ensuring military readiness, securing our southern border, advancing scientific discovery, and other Federal missions are successful. The work ITS performs has led to innovative advancements in the way we manage our airways. These airways power faster mobile connectivity for Americans, and making more spectrum available in the future is critical to beating Communist China and ensuring our continued economic and national security. The ITS Codification Act will strengthen the statutory authority for ITS and ensure that the work that they do to advance United States technological leadership remains a key part of our approach. This bipartisan legislation passed by a voice vote last Congress. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1455, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, for a good number of years in the Energy and Commerce Committee, especially in the Communications and Technology Subcommittee, one of the things we have talked about is how much more spectrum we have to have in this country to move forward. For us to stay number one in the world in this sector, it is absolutely essential that this piece of legislation is supported and agreed to by the House, and I ask for support of the legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2037) to provide outreach and technical assistance to small providers regarding Open RAN networks, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act, led by the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hudson), who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Communications and Technology of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Carter), who represents the Second District. This legislation helps pave the way for greater U.S. competition with China by promoting technology that encourages vendor diversity. Specifically, this legislation requires NTIA to provide support to all of our small and rural communications providers that want to deploy Open RAN technology. Promoting a more competitive market of trusted vendors to provide 5G equipment remains an important strategic component to protect U.S. networks. As an open network infrastructure, Open RAN technology can help diversify communications technology by allowing multiple components from multiple manufacturers. This bill will give small and rural providers important information and support to deploy Open RAN technologies if providers would like to implement this technology in their networks. This legislation has a strong history of bipartisan support in the Committee on Energy and Commerce and passed the full committee in April by voice vote. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 2037, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am prepared to close at this time. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I also urge Members of the House to support this legislation. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LATTA

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1717) to direct the Federal Communications Commission to establish a council to make recommendations on ways to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communications networks, and for other purposes.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1717, the Communications Security Act, led by the gentleman from Pennsylvania's 13th District and the gentleman from New Jersey's Eighth District. The bill strengthens the cybersecurity of critical telecommunications infrastructure by permanently establishing a Federal Communications Commission advisory council to increase the security, reliability, and interoperability of communication networks. The FCC established the Communications Security, Reliability, and Interoperability Council, or CSRIC, to provide recommendations to the Commission regarding best practices and actions the Commission can take to ensure optimal security, reliability, and operability of commercial and public safety communications. A hallmark of the body has been the collaboration between the representatives of private industry, government, and other stakeholders in a forum that facilitates information sharing and the advancement of important issues. Last fall, we saw one of the most significant attacks on our Nation's communications networks in the Salt Typhoon, which is publicly reported to have been carried out by Communist China. Against that backdrop, it is critical that we continue efforts to strengthen existing government partnerships with the communications technology industry. This legislation would accomplish that goal by making CSRIC a permanent advisory council to the FCC. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.