A House of Representatives “resolution of inquiry” introduced by Representative Bennie Thompson (D-MS) would direct DHS to give lawmakers any documentation the agency has on cyber risks introduced by use of ZTE products on federal, state, and local government networks.
U.S. intelligence officials have warned that use of ZTE equipment poses a risk to national security, the DoD banned sale of their devices by its base stores, and the Commerce Department just imposed harsh penalties on the company for violating earlier sanctions against Iran and North Korea.
The measure is a direct response to White House overtures on reversing Commerce’s action, and seeks to determine if any information or formal processes were used to support the decision to work with China to benefit ZTE, Thompson explained.