Two senators re-introduced bipartisan legislation Monday intended to protect Americans’ communications networks from technology controlled by foreign adversaries.

Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Tennessee Republican, and Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico Democrat, proposed the Removing Our Unsecure Technologies to Ensure Reliability and Security (ROUTERS) Act, a bill that the lawmakers say will safeguard routers, modems or devices that combine both.

“Tens of millions of families and small businesses across the country use wireless routers as their primary access point to the internet,” said Ms. Blackburn. “Many of these routers are susceptible to infiltration by foreign actors – including China – exposing our country to serious danger. This bill will better protect U.S. communications networks and our national security.”

The ROUTERS Act would require the assistant secretary for communications and information at the Department of Commerce to conduct a study of the national security risks posed by the devices that are designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by persons owned, controlled, or subject to the jurisdiction of U.S. adversaries.

This includes the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba or Venezuela.

Mr. Lujan called the ROUTERS Act a “crucial step” to ensuring that everyday internet devices “like consumer routers and modems don’t pose a risk to our national security or consumer privacy.”

“Securing our broadband infrastructure is a top priority, and we must create safeguards at every point across our systems,” he said. “That is why I am proud to reintroduce this critical piece of legislation to help protect the privacy and security of millions of Americans.”

Rep. Robert Latta, Ohio Republican, introduced companion legislation in the Energy & Commerce Committee by the same name in the last Congress.

“As communist China seeks to undermine our people, workforce, and nation, House Republicans are working to curtail their malign influence,” Mr. Latta said following his bill’s passage.

The bill passed out of committee and the lower chamber last Sept. 9, but was never taken up on the floor by the then-Democratic-controlled Senate. 

• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.