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Spanberger: Withdrawal of 5G restrictions ‘reinforces need for comprehensive 5G strategy”

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Abigail SpanbergerThe Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the Department of Commerce has withdrawn proposed regulations preventing U.S. companies from selling certain technologies to the Chinese firm Huawei.

Huawei has close ties to Chinese military and intelligence agencies.

Earlier this month, the House of Representatives passed a " target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bill authored by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., to require the administration to develop an unclassified, national strategy to protect U.S. consumers and companies from foreign-based 5G threats.

Spanberger commented on Monday’s news report:

“Amid credible national security concerns related to Huawei, ZTE, and other 5G firms, we must take concrete steps to protect the privacy and data of American consumers and companies. But as the Commerce Department suddenly pulls back potential restrictions on Huawei, we still do not have a clear, interagency strategy for how to address the serious risks associated with the growing influence and integration of foreign-based 5G equipment,” Spanberger said in a statement.

“The Commerce Department’s decision only reinforces the need for a comprehensive 5G strategy, and that’s why I continue to push for the Senate to vote on my Secure 5G and Beyond Act, which passed overwhelmingly in the House earlier this month. Without a nationwide gameplan, we could find ourselves lagging behind the Chinese in 5G innovation—and we could be putting American families and businesses at risk. In the coming days, I hope both the Commerce Department and the Pentagon will provide additional information about the rationale behind this announcement.”

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