Signal under siege in the Heartland

By U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer
R-Nebraska

Most of us don’t think twice about the networks that connect our phones, schools, or workplaces. But those systems — parts of our daily lives that we often take for granted — are increasingly valuable targets for bad actors and foreign adversaries.

Last week, I chaired a Senate hearing to dig into this issue. As chair of the Commerce Committee’s Telecommunications and Media Subcommittee, I questioned experts about how government and private companies can work together to protect our communications networks.

Those experts made this clear: China remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to American institutions. Just last year, a Chinese government-backed hacking group infiltrated U.S. telecom providers. And with artificial intelligence making these attacks more persistent and sophisticated, the need for a strong national strategy is becoming urgent.

But you don’t need to look far to see why this matters. We’ve already felt the impact here at home.

In October, Kearney Public Schools were hit with a major cyberattack that shut down phones and computers across the district. We’ve also seen several 9-1-1 outages in Nebraska — times when emergency calls simply didn’t go through because the network wasn’t resilient enough, with proper back up redundancy. When parents can’t reach their child’s school or someone can’t reach 9-1-1, lurking network security vulnerabilities can quickly turn into an emergency.

That’s why Congress is stepping up efforts to remove risky foreign technology from our networks. Equipment from companies linked to the Chinese government poses serious security risks. To address that, we created the “Rip and Replace” program, which helps American carriers remove and replace vulnerable equipment. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is also continuing to identify companies that could put our networks at risk.

We’re also working to increase transparency. Earlier this year, I introduced the FACT Act, which requires the FCC to publicly identify any communications license holders tied to foreign adversaries. It passed the Senate in October, and it’s an important step toward giving Americans a clearer picture of who is operating our communications systems. I’m pushing to get it to the president’s desk and signed into law.

These threats are far reaching. Undersea cables — which carry international internet traffic — have been damaged multiple times in recent years. Some incidents were accidental, while others were intentional. But each time, it knocked millions of people and businesses offline, proving how fragile the global communications system can be.

In space, with more than 10,000 satellites now orbiting Earth, we face a new and rapidly expanding frontier. These satellites power everything from rural internet access to national security systems. They offer incredible benefits, but they also create new targets for foreign adversaries.

Whether on land, under the ocean, or the sky above us, cyber threats are growing more aggressive. Nebraska’s own experiences show just how quickly these problems can reach our classrooms, our emergency responders, and our communities. The way forward includes stronger cooperation between government and private industry, more transparency about who owns and operates our networks, and continued investment in building systems that can withstand attacks.

Cybersecurity policy doesn’t solely concern staffers and officials in Washington. It’s also a Nebraska issue. It affects every American across the country — at home, at school, at work, and in emergencies. That’s why we must stay vigilant and prepare our networks now, because the threats aren’t slowing down.

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