S 503 — NET Act

Summary

Network Equipment Transparency Act or the NET ActThis bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to report biennially on the impact of network equipment availability on the deployment of advanced telecommunications capabilities (i.e., broadband). This assessment must be included in the FCC’s reports on the state of the communications marketplace, which are submitted to Congress and published publicly every other year.

Bill Text

Published by the reporting committee Not generated — this is the committee's own “Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported”.

Text to be removed appears in [brackets]. Newly inserted text is italicised in the official report and cannot be marked in this plain-text rendition — read the official PDF ↗ for the authoritative formatting.

changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

 COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934

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 [47 U.S.C. 163(b)]

 TITLE I--GENERAL PROVISIONS

 * * * * * * *

SEC. 13. COMMUNICATIONS MARKETPLACE REPORT.

 (a) In General.--In the last quarter of every even-numbered 
year, the Commission shall publish on its website and submit to 
the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report on the state of the 
communications marketplace.
 (b) Contents.--Each report required by subsection (a) shall--
 (1) assess the state of competition in the 
 communications marketplace, including competition to 
 deliver voice, video, audio, and data services among 
 providers of telecommunications, providers of 
 commercial mobile service (as defined in section 332), 
 multichannel video programming distributors (as defined 
 in section 602), broadcast stations, providers of 
 satellite communications, Internet service providers, 
 and other providers of communications services;
 (2) assess the state of deployment of communications 
 capabilities, including advanced telecommunications 
 capability (as defined in section 706 of the 
 Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. 1302)), 
 regardless of the technology used for such deployment;
 (3) assess, to the extent that data is available to 
 the Commission, how the availability of network 
 equipment may have impacted the deployment of advanced 
 telecommunications capability during the applicable 
 reporting period;
 [(3)] (4) assess whether laws, regulations, 
 regulatory practices (whether those of the Federal 
 Government, States, political subdivisions of States, 
 Indian tribes or tribal organizations (as such terms 
 are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-
 Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
 5304)), or foreign governments), or demonstrated 
 marketplace practices pose a barrier to competitive 
 entry into the communications marketplace or to the 
 competitive expansion of existing providers of 
 communications services;
 [(4)] (5) describe the agenda of the Commission for 
 the next 2-year period for addressing the challenges 
 and opportunities in the communications marketplace 
 that were identified through the assessments under 
 paragraphs (1) through [(3)] (4); and
 [(5)] (6) describe the actions that the Commission 
 has taken in pursuit of the agenda described pursuant 
 to paragraph [(4)] (5) in the previous report submitted 
 under this section.
 (c) Extension.--If the President designates a Commissioner as 
Chairman of the Commission during the last quarter of an even-
numbered year, the portion of the report required by subsection 
[(b)(4)] (b)(5) may be published on the website of the 
Commission and submitted to the Committee on Energy and 
Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate as an 
addendum during the first quarter of the following odd-numbered 
year.
 (d) Special Requirements.--
 (1) Assessing competition.--In assessing the state of 
 competition under subsection (b)(1), the Commission 
 shall consider all forms of competition, including the 
 effect of intermodal competition, facilities-based 
 competition, and competition from new and emergent 
 communications services, including the provision of 
 content and communications using the Internet.
 (2) Assessing deployment.--In assessing the state of 
 deployment under subsection (b)(2), the Commission 
 shall compile a list of geographical areas that are not 
 served by any provider of advanced telecommunications 
 capability.
 (3) Considering small businesses.--In assessing the 
 state of competition under subsection (b)(1) and 
 regulatory barriers under subsection [(b)(3)] (b)(4), 
 the Commission shall consider market entry barriers for 
 entrepreneurs and other small businesses in the 
 communications marketplace in accordance with the 
 national policy under section 257(b).

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Source: S. Rept. 119-66 · govinfo

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill adds a new assessment requirement regarding the impact of network equipment availability on telecommunications deployment and renumbers existing paragraphs within the report requirements.

• 47 U.S.C. 163(b)

  (3) assess, to the extent that data is available to the Commission, how the availability of network equipment may have impacted the deployment of advanced telecommunications capability during the applicable reporting period;

  This change requires the Commission to evaluate the effect of network equipment availability on telecommunications capability deployment.

• 47 U.S.C. 163(b)

  (3) → (4)

  This change renumbers the existing paragraph (3) to paragraph (4) after the addition of the new assessment.

• 47 U.S.C. 163(b)

  (4) → (5)

  This change renumbers the existing paragraph (4) to paragraph (5) to accommodate the new paragraph.

• 47 U.S.C. 163(b)

  (5) → (6)

  This change renumbers the existing paragraph (5) to paragraph (6) in the report requirements of the section.

• 47 U.S.C. 163(c)

  (b)(4) → (b)(5)

  This change updates a reference in subsection (c) to correspond with the renumbered paragraphs in subsection (b).

• 47 U.S.C. 163(d)(3)

  (b)(3) → (b)(4)

  This change updates a reference in subsection (d)(3) to reflect the renumbering of paragraph (3) to paragraph (4) in subsection (b).

Action History

1. February 10, 2025

   Introduced in Senate

2. February 10, 2025

   Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

3. May 21, 2025

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.

4. September 29, 2025

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-66.

5. September 29, 2025

   Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz without amendment. With written report No. 119-66.

6. September 29, 2025

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 171.

7. November 04, 2025

   Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.

8. November 04, 2025

   Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S7904-7905; text: CR S7905)

9. November 07, 2025

   Message on Senate action sent to the House.

10. November 10, 2025

    Received in the House.

11. November 10, 2025

    Held at the desk.

Sponsors

• John W. Hickenlooper · Primary
• Jerry Moran · Cosponsor
• Shelley Moore Capito · Cosponsor
• Gary C. Peters · Cosponsor

Subjects