CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

RepublicanBill · H.R. 9541· House(119-HR-9541)

FIREWALL Act

Rep. Bilirakis
Age: 63 years
Florida
Introduced
6/30/2026
Last activity
6/30/2026 — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Sponsored by
Gus Bilirakis
Cosponsors
Republican - 1Democrat - 1
Science, Technology, Communications
  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

The "FIREWALL Act" prohibits certain Federal funds from being given to people or companies that buy fiber-optic cable from countries of concern. This restriction applies to funds managed by the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. It targets cables bought from companies owned by, or controlled by, a country of concern or its officials. The rules take effect 90 days after the Act is passed.

Yes· 3 of 4

  • Does this better protect the country from computer attacks?+7

    Reducing dependence on fiber-optic equipment from countries of concern mitigates potential security vulnerabilities and espionage risks.

  • Does this give people more control over their personal data?+5

    Prohibiting equipment from countries of concern reduces the risk of backdoors and data interception at the physical layer.

  • Does this protect people from being watched or searched?+4

    Protects national infrastructure from foreign surveillance, enhancing systemic privacy.

The opposite· 3 of 6

  • Would business owners be better off under this?-3

    Business owners in the telecommunications sector may face higher costs by being forced to switch suppliers to maintain federal funding.

  • Does this make it easier to run a small business?-3

    Small businesses purchasing fiber from countries of concern may lose access to critical FCC and NTIA federal funding.

  • Would people in rural areas be better off under this?-2

    Rural residents may see slower broadband expansion if local providers lose FCC/NTIA funding due to equipment sources.