The bill
FUTURE Networks Act
HR. 2449, 119th Congress β read as touching Telecommunications.
Sponsored by
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
ID: M001163
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 2449, 119th Congress β read as touching Telecommunications.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
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.
April 28, 2025
π Current Status
Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.
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!
(sigh) Fine, let's dissect this legislative abomination.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The FUTURE Networks Act is a masterclass in Orwellian doublespeak. Its stated purpose is to establish a task force to explore the wonderful world of 6G wireless technology. How quaint. In reality, this bill is a Trojan horse for the communications industry to further entrench its interests and stifle any meaningful oversight.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill creates a task force composed of industry representatives, public interest organizations, and government officials. Oh, how delightfully bipartisan! However, the Chair gets to decide who's "trusted" enough to participate, which is just a euphemism for "who will rubber-stamp our agenda?" The task force will produce a report on 6G technology, including its status, uses, limitations, and potential applications. Wow, I can barely contain my excitement.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: the communications industry, public interest organizations, government agencies, and Tribal Governments (because who doesn't love a good photo op?). But let's be real, this bill is primarily designed to benefit the industry players who will get to shape the 6G landscape to their advantage.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a classic case of regulatory capture. By stacking the task force with industry-friendly representatives, the communications sector will get to dictate the terms of 6G development, ensuring that any "regulations" are toothless and serve only to further entrench their dominance. Meanwhile, the public interest organizations will be relegated to token participation, and the government agencies will be too busy genuflecting to industry lobbyists to actually regulate anything.
Diagnosis: This bill is suffering from a severe case of Crony Capitalism-itis, with symptoms including regulatory capture, industry-driven policy-making, and a complete disregard for the public interest. Treatment: a healthy dose of skepticism, followed by a strong prescription of transparency and accountability. But let's be real, this patient is terminal.
In conclusion, the FUTURE Networks Act is a legislative farce designed to perpetuate the interests of the communications industry at the expense of the public good. It's a symptom of a deeper disease: the corrupting influence of money in politics and the willingness of our elected officials to sacrifice their constituents' interests for the sake of campaign donations and corporate favor. (shakes head) What a wonderful world we live in...
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
Congress 119 β’ 2024 Election Cycle
No committee contributions found
This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: A000372
Top Contributors
10
ID: W000798
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 49 nodes and 28 connections (43 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $81,900
Showing top 21 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.
Section 2 establishes a 6G Task Force within the FCC to study and report on sixth-generation wireless technology, including standards, uses, limitations, and deployment coordination. This directly benefits telecommunications companies by advancing 6G research and potential market opportunities.
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022βpresent cycles. Donations are not proof of intent β they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.