Central Montana Times

U.S. Senator Steve Daines, along with Senators Cynthia Lummis, Roger Wicker, and Eric Schmitt, announced the passage of their bill to fully fund the "Rip and Replace" program through the U.S. Senate. The legislation is part of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which is expected to be signed into law.

The bill aims to provide rural telecommunications providers with necessary resources to replace Chinese-manufactured infrastructure in the industry, thereby safeguarding against espionage and service disruptions.

Senator Daines expressed satisfaction with the inclusion of this measure in the NDAA, stating, "This Chinese equipment poses a significant national security threat to the United States and by fully funding the Rip and Replace program, we can combat this threat while ensuring that millions of rural Americans maintain access to cellular and broadband services."

Senator Lummis highlighted Wyoming's connectivity challenges: "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... Poor connectivity continues to be one of Wyoming’s biggest challenges."

Senator Wicker noted that allowing Chinese-manufactured equipment has jeopardized citizens' privacy and national security: "The funding will keep communities online, and it is great news for our critical digital infrastructure."

Senator Schmitt emphasized China's position as a chief adversary: "China and the CCP should have zero access to our critical telecommunications infrastructure and the data of millions of Americans."

The Rip and Replace program was initiated in 2020 to eliminate Chinese components from wireless communications systems. It requires an additional $3 billion for completion. The use of such equipment is a concern for national security, particularly near military bases. The "Supporting National Security with Spectrum Act" ensures full funding by mandating re-auctioning certain spectrum licenses recently returned to the Federal Communications Commission.