Washington, D.C.— U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) introduced legislation to fully fund Rip and Replace and remove Chinese components from our wireless communications systems. The Supporting National Security with Spectrum Act will fully fund Rip and Replace and ensure small wireless and broadband carriers throughout Wyoming will not be saddled with millions of dollars in costs that could result in service blackouts and companies closing down.
“Chinese-manufactured equipment used to build out our broadband networks pose a serious threat to our national security and the privacy of the people of Wyoming. This legislation provides essential and urgent funding for rip and replace to remove Chinese equipment and replace it with trusted products that are safe and secure. Importantly, this funding is fully paid for so it will not contribute to our nation’s debt,” said Lummis.
Lummis has been a strong proponent of funding Rip and Replace due to the dangerous risk to Wyoming communities of service being cut entirely due to the high costs to fund these projects.
This week, she introduced an amendment to the appropriations bill to fully fund Rip and Replace and ensure Wyoming communities continue having access to reliable broadband and wireless services.
On Thursday she also spoke at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing about the threats Chinese-manufactured equipment in our broadband and wireless networks pose to our communities and the urgent need for Congress to fund Rip and Replace.
In February 2023, Lummis penned an op-ed in the Hill expressing her serious concerns over the Chinese Communist Party’s ability to spy on the people of Wyoming through the equipment used to build out broadband and wireless networks in the state and the urgent need for Rip and Replace to be fully funded.
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