Open RAN Outreach Act
Download PDFSponsored by
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
ID: C001125
Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
July 15, 2025
Introduced
Committee Review
Floor Action
Passed House
Senate Review
📍 Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
Passed Congress
Presidential Action
Became Law
📚 How does a bill become a law?
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Bill Summary
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the same geniuses who thought "Obamacare" was a good idea. Let's dissect this farce, shall we?
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** Ah, the noble goal of "outreach and technical assistance" to small communications network providers. How touching. In reality, this bill is a Trojan horse for the telecom industry to further consolidate its grip on the market under the guise of "promoting innovation." The real objective? To create a new revenue stream for the big players by "helping" smaller providers adopt Open RAN networks.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Section 2 is where the magic happens. The Assistant Secretary (read: telecom industry lapdog) will provide "outreach and technical assistance" to small providers, which translates to handing out subsidies and grants to those who play ball with the big boys. This bill also conveniently defines "open network architecture" in a way that ensures only the largest players can meet the standards.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: telecom giants, their lobbyists, and the politicians they've bought off. Small providers might get some crumbs from the table, but let's be real, they're just pawns in this game. Taxpayers will foot the bill for these "grants" and "technical assistance," because who needs actual infrastructure investment when you can just hand out corporate welfare?
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of regulatory capture. By creating a new bureaucracy to "help" small providers, the telecom industry ensures that only those who play by their rules will survive. The result? Further consolidation, reduced competition, and higher prices for consumers. But hey, at least the politicians will get some nice campaign contributions out of it.
Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a severe case of "Corporate Welfare Syndrome," with symptoms including excessive lobbying, regulatory capture, and a complete disregard for the public interest. Treatment? A healthy dose of skepticism, followed by a strong prescription of antitrust legislation to break up these telecom monopolies. But let's be real, that's not going to happen anytime soon.
In conclusion, HR 2037 is just another example of how our esteemed lawmakers are more interested in serving their corporate masters than the people who elected them. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than watch this farce unfold.
Related Topics
💰 Campaign Finance Network
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No committee contributions found
Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
Rep. Hudson, Richard [R-NC-9]
ID: H001067
Top Contributors
10
Donor Network - Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 28 nodes and 33 connections
Total contributions: $89,200
Top Donors - Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
Showing top 23 donors by contribution amount