WLNS: House passes Walberg and Dingell’s bill to improve U.S. wireless standards

This week, the U.S. House passed the “Promoting United States Wireless Leadership Act.” The bill was introduced by Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) and Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.).

The bill would assist U.S. companies in leading wireless communication. It would also set standards for 5G communication.

Walberg said it’s critical that the U.S. leads the development of wireless connection.

“The United States has been a longtime leader in cutting-edge technologies,” Walberg said. “As a co-chair of the 5G and Beyond Caucus, I understand how critical it is that the U.S. remains the leading voice in the worldwide development of future wireless communications networks. By establishing clear rules of the road, we can protect against influence by foreign adversaries and ensure that the next generation of connectivity is built with America’s values and economic and security interests in mind. I am pleased to see the House pass this bipartisan legislation to secure our future and strengthen our global competitiveness.”

Dingell mentioned how important the bill is for the country’s competition with China.

“The policy choices of today will have lasting effects on the global wireless technology development of tomorrow — especially as we compete against China,” Dingell said. “We must take concrete, proactive steps to lower barriers to entry for U.S. companies and promote American competitiveness in this space for each subsequent generation of these innovative technologies. As a Co-Chair of the 5G and Beyond Caucus, I am proud this bipartisan legislation has passed the House, and will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure the United States remains at the forefront of innovation.”

The bipartisan legislation will now move to the Senate for a vote. If it passes, it can then be signed into law by President Donald Trump.