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S 259

John Valdario 53rd Anniversary

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Ronnie Cromer

The bill requires the FCC to publish and annually update a public list of licensees and authorization holders with ownership or control ties to designated foreign adversaries.

Introduced, adopted, returned with concurrence
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Bill Summary · S 259

Summary — S.259: Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act

Status: Introduced Jan 27, 2025; reported favorably by Senate Commerce Committee (Report No. 119–36).
Primary sponsor: Sen. Deb Fischer. (Companion House bill H.R. 906 introduced Jan 31, 2025.)

Purpose

To increase public transparency about communications licensees and authorization holders that have ownership or control ties to designated “covered countries” (i.e., foreign adversaries identified in 10 U.S.C. 4872(f)(2)). The bill directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to identify and publish such entities and to collect ownership information needed to maintain that list.

Key provisions

  • Definitions:
    • “Covered country” references countries listed at 10 U.S.C. 4872(f)(2).
    • “Covered entity” includes a covered country’s government, entities organized under its laws, and their subsidiaries.
  • Initial public list:
    • Within 120 days of enactment, the FCC must publish on its website a list of entities that:
    • Hold licenses under 47 U.S.C. 309(j) (e.g., auctioned wireless licenses) or under the Cable Landing Licensing Act; and
    • Either have reportable equity/voting interests held by a covered entity per FCC ownership rules, or have been determined by an “appropriate national security agency” to be controlled by a covered entity.
  • Rulemaking and expanded coverage:
    • Within 18 months, the FCC must adopt rules to collect information identifying other authorization- or license-holders (not covered by the initial list) that have reportable covered-entity interests.
    • Within 1 year after those rules are issued, the FCC must add those identified entities to the public list.
  • Ongoing updates:
    • The FCC must update the list at least annually.
  • Paperwork Reduction Act:
    • Information collections conducted to implement the Act are exempt from the federal Paperwork Reduction Act.

Who is affected

  • FCC licensees and authorization holders (broadcast, common carrier, submarine cable landing licenses, wireless licensees, etc.) with ownership or control ties to covered countries.
  • Covered entities (foreign governments, foreign-organized firms, and their subsidiaries) that hold equity, voting interests, or exercise control.
  • The FCC and relevant national security agencies (for determinations of control).
  • The public, industry stakeholders, and policymakers who will use the published list.

Procedural/timeline highlights

  • 120 days to publish initial list for specified license types after enactment.
  • 18 months to issue rules to gather ownership information for remaining authorizations.
  • 1 year after those rules to place newly identified entities on the public list.
  • Annual mandatory updates thereafter.

Potential impacts

  • Increased transparency about foreign ownership/control of U.S. communications assets.
  • Administrative burden on the FCC and on licensees to report ownership details.
  • Reputational and commercial effects for entities placed on a public list (may inform further regulatory or enforcement action under existing national‑security authorities).
  • Supports existing statutes (e.g., Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act) aimed at reducing security risks from adversary-controlled communications infrastructure.

Legislative history

  • S.259 introduced Jan 27, 2025; ordered reported favorably by the Senate Commerce Committee (voice vote) April 30, 2025; reported July 9, 2025 (Sen. Cruz, reporting). Companion House bill H.R. 906 was reported favorably and considered in the House in April 2025.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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