Findlay Times

Congressman Bob Latta and Congresswoman Robin Kelly have introduced the Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security (ROUTERS) Act. This legislation aims to protect American communications networks from technology controlled by foreign adversaries, including routers and modems.

In the Senate, Senator Marsha Blackburn and Senator Ben Ray Luján have put forward similar legislation. Last year, Congressman Latta introduced the ROUTERS Act in the 118th Congress, where it received approval from the U.S. House of Representatives.

"I'm pleased to once again lead the ROUTERS Act, along with my fellow member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Congresswoman Kelly, to protect Americans from cyber threats posed by foreign adversary-controlled technology," said Congressman Latta. "We are going to continue our efforts to make sure communist China cannot surveil, manipulate, and undermine the American people. The ROUTERS Act is a good step toward that worthwhile goal, and I look forward to its swift approval through Congress so it can be signed into law by President Trump."

The proposed ROUTERS Act mandates a study by the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the Department of Commerce. This study will assess national security risks associated with routers or modems designed or supplied by entities under control or jurisdiction of countries such as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or Venezuela.