Overview

Title

An Act To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, to conduct a study of the national security risks posed by consumer routers, modems, and devices that combine a modem and router, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

The CALL Act wants the government to study whether the routers and modems people use might be dangerous if made by certain countries that the U.S. is worried about. It's like a safety check to make sure our internet gadgets don't accidentally help the wrong people.

Summary AI

H. R. 7589, named the "Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act" or "ROUTERS Act," directs the Secretary of Commerce to study the national security risks associated with consumer routers, modems, and combination devices that are influenced by certain foreign countries. The Secretary is required to report the findings to Congress within one year. This study aims to assess potential threats posed by these devices if they are developed or controlled by nations deemed as having security concerns.

Published

2024-09-10
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Referred in Senate
Date: 2024-09-10
Package ID: BILLS-118hr7589rfs

Keywords AI

national security consumer routers modems secretary of commerce study of security risks foreign influence routers act assistant secretary of commerce legislative report 118th congress

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
2
Words:
360
Pages:
3
Sentences:
9

Language

Nouns: 114
Verbs: 33
Adjectives: 9
Adverbs: 2
Numbers: 12
Entities: 26

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.37
Average Sentence Length:
40.00
Token Entropy:
4.48
Readability (ARI):
22.63

AnalysisAI

The Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act, or the ROUTERS Act, proposes a study to examine national security risks associated with certain consumer technology devices. Drafted under the 118th Congress, the bill focuses specifically on consumer routers, modems, and combination devices that may be influenced by particular foreign entities.

General Summary of the Bill

The bill directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a comprehensive study of potential national security threats posed by consumer networking equipment, such as routers and modems, which are controlled or influenced by certain foreign countries. The study aims to identify vulnerabilities or risks associated with these devices. Within a year of the act's enactment, a report detailing the findings is to be submitted to important Congressional committees.

Summary of Significant Issues

  1. Lack of Budget Specification: The bill does not specify the financial resources allocated for conducting the study. This oversight raises concerns about possible inefficiencies or misallocation of resources, given the bill's potentially broad scope.

  2. Ambiguity in Definitions: The term "covered country" relies on an external legal reference (section 4872(d)(2) of title 10, United States Code), which might not be accessible to all readers, potentially obscuring the bill’s targets.

  3. Undefined Roles: The responsibilities of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information in executing the study are not detailed, leading to potential confusion and challenges in carrying out the study effectively.

  4. Feasibility of Timeline: The requirement to complete and submit a report within a year may be overly ambitious, considering the study's complexity. This tight timeline could potentially undermine the quality and depth of the study.

  5. Potential for Misleading Interpretation: The bill’s title suggests actions beyond merely conducting a study, which might mislead the public about its scope and intended outcomes.

Public Impact

For the general public, the study has the potential to address crucial security concerns related to widely-used technology, thereby enhancing national data protection measures. Improved security protocols could safeguard personal information and national data networks from foreign interference.

Impact on Stakeholders

  • Technology Manufacturers: Companies manufacturing networking devices could face increased scrutiny. Those controlled by nations specified in the bill might experience regulatory pressures and market constraints.

  • Consumers: Improved security measures based on the study's findings could lead to safer products, but potential restrictions might affect product availability or prices.

  • Government and Security Agencies: The results of the study could provide valuable insights to improve national cybersecurity strategies, although failure to address the issues effectively might hinder these efforts.

While the ROUTERS Act seeks to address significant national security concerns, its ambiguities and lack of detailed planning may challenge its successful implementation and the attainment of its broader objectives. The effective execution of the study and subsequent actions will be critical in realizing the intended benefits.

Issues

  • The bill does not specify the budget or funding source for the study (Section 2). This could cause concerns about potential wasteful spending or misallocation of resources, especially given the broad scope of the national security study.

  • The definition of 'covered country' relies on an external legal reference (Section 2). This could create ambiguity or misunderstanding for readers unfamiliar with section 4872(d)(2) of title 10, United States Code, potentially leading to misinterpretation of the bill's scope or targets.

  • The responsibilities and scope of actions required from the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information are not clearly detailed (Section 2). This lack of specificity might lead to confusion and implementation challenges, affecting the study's effectiveness.

  • The requirement to submit a report to Congress within one year (Section 2) might not be feasible depending on the study's complexity. This timeline could compromise the thoroughness or quality of the findings, affecting legislative decisions based on the report.

  • The short title of the bill, 'Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act' or 'ROUTERS Act' (Section 1), suggests a focus beyond just studying routers and modems. However, without additional context, it remains unclear what specific measures will be taken, potentially misleading the public about the bill's intent.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of the bill indicates that its official short title is the “Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security Act,” also known as the “ROUTERS Act.”

2. Study of national security risks posed by certain routers and modems Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The bill requires the Secretary of Commerce to study and report on the national security risks of consumer routers, modems, and similar devices made by companies influenced by certain countries. The term "covered country" and "Secretary" are specifically defined within the bill.