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Open Ran Outreach Act

Floor Speech

Date: July 14, 2025
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. CARTER of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone for yielding the time.

I stand in strong support of H.R. 2037, the Open RAN Outreach Act. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan Open RAN Outreach Act with Representative Richard Hudson of North Carolina. I am grateful that the full House is considering this bill.

Today's bill is an example of what bipartisanship can look like on the Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill provides greater Federal support for small telecommunications companies in rural and disadvantaged communities to help these companies improve their networks and remove potentially insecure Chinese network hardware.

Specifically, this bill directs the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to provide outreach and technical assistance to small communications network providers about the benefits of transitioning to Open Radio Access Networks, or Open RAN or ORAN technologies.

It is imperative that telecommunications providers of all sizes are aware of and have access to cutting-edge technologies. It is also the case that this bill promotes U.S. technological innovations and competitiveness and, most importantly, our national security.

While I am proud to be a part of this effort, I would be remiss in not highlighting that programs like the wireless supply chain innovation grant program may be negatively affected by reconciliation decisions made by the administration.

This is a pivotal step toward strengthening our Nation's telecommunications infrastructure. By providing technical assistance and outreach to small telecommunications providers, especially in rural areas, this bill opens the door to a more secure, diverse, and competitive wireless network landscape.

The shift to Open RAN technology not only enhances national security by reducing reliance on foreign-made equipment but also boosts American manufacturing and fosters innovation in 5G and 6G.

The bill ensures that rural communities are no longer left behind in the race for cutting-edge technology, driving down costs and empowering smaller carriers to build stronger, more resilient networks.

Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to pass the Open RAN Outreach Act.

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