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To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.
Summary
The Secure Space Act would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting satellite licenses or U.S. market access to companies that also produce or provide communications equipment and services that are considered security risks. The prohibition would apply to satellite systems in orbit and to earth stations that receive satellite signals. Companies affiliated with covered communications equipment providers would also be prohibited from holding such licenses. The FCC would have one year to write rules implementing these restrictions.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] (R-NE)
1 cosponsor
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM)
Actions (3)
- Apr 14, 2026 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. · senate
- Jun 5, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. · senate
- Jun 5, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
- Business meeting to consider S.1682, to direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a consumer product safety standard for certain gates, S.1885, to require the Federal Trade Commission, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services acting through the Surgeon General, to implement a mental health warning label on covered platforms, S.1962, to amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, S.2378, to amend title 49, United States Code, to establish funds for investments in aviation security checkpoint technology, S.3257, to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to revise regulations for certain individuals carrying out aviation activities who disclose a mental health diagnosis or condition, S.3404, to require a report on Federal support to the cybersecurity of commercial satellite systems, S.3597, to reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative Act, S.3618, to require the Federal Trade Commission to submit to Congress a report on the ability of minors to access fentanyl through social media platforms, S.3791, to reauthorize Regional Ocean Partnerships, and routine lists in the Coast Guard.
- Business meeting to consider S.1682, to direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to promulgate a consumer product safety standard for certain gates, S.1885, to require the Federal Trade Commission, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Health and Human Services acting through the Surgeon General, to implement a mental health warning label on covered platforms, S.1962, to amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, S.2378, to amend title 49, United States Code, to establish funds for investments in aviation security checkpoint technology, S.3257, to require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to revise regulations for certain individuals carrying out aviation activities who disclose a mental health diagnosis or condition, S.3404, to require a report on Federal support to the cybersecurity of commercial satellite systems, S.3597, to reauthorize the National Quantum Initiative Act, S.3618, to require the Federal Trade Commission to submit to Congress a report on the ability of minors to access fentanyl through social media platforms, S.3791, to reauthorize Regional Ocean Partnerships, and a promotion list in the Coast Guard.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 5, 2025
Mrs. Fischer (for herself and Mr. Lujan) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Secure Space Act of 2025”.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITION ON GRANT OF CERTAIN SATELLITE LICENSES, UNITED STATES MARKET ACCESS, OR EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATIONS.
(a) In General.—The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended—
(1) by redesignating sections 10 and 11 as sections 11 and 12, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 9 the following:
“SEC. 10. PROHIBITION ON GRANT OF CERTAIN SATELLITE LICENSES, UNITED STATES MARKET ACCESS, OR EARTH STATION AUTHORIZATIONS.
“(a) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) Affiliate.—
“(A) In general.—The term ‘affiliate’ means an entity that (directly or indirectly) owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, another entity.
“(B) Own.—For purposes of this paragraph, the term ‘own’ means to have, possess, or otherwise control an equity interest (or the equivalent thereof) of not less than 10 percent.
“(2) Blanket-licensed earth station.—The term ‘blanket- licensed earth station’ means an earth station that is licensed with a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system.
“(3) Gateway station.—The term ‘gateway station’ means an earth station or a group of earth stations that—
“(A) supports the routing and switching functions of a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system;
“(B) may also be used for telemetry, tracking, and command transmissions;
“(C) does not originate or terminate communication traffic; and
“(D) is not for the exclusive use of any customer.
“(4) Individually licensed earth station.—The term ‘individually licensed earth station’ means—
“(A) an earth station (other than a blanket- licensed earth station) that sends a signal to, and receives a signal from, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system; or
“(B) a gateway station.
“(b) Prohibition.—The Commission may not grant a license for, or a petition for a declaratory ruling to access the United States market using, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by—
“(1) an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service; or
“(2) an affiliate of an entity described in paragraph
(1).”.
(b) Applicability.—Section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to the grant of a license, petition, or authorization on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
(c) Rules.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall issue rules to implement section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a). <all>
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