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S. 259
U.S. Senate•Engrossed
Summary
S. 259, the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act, was introduced in the Senate on Jan 27, 2025 by Sen. Deb Fischer (R) with 3 co-sponsors. It last saw action on Oct 24, 2025: Held at the desk.
Record
Text
S. 259 has 3 co-sponsors.
sb259/engrossed-in-senate.txt119 S259 ES: Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency ActU.S. Senatetext/xmlENPursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.119th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 259 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES AN ACTTo direct the Federal Communications Commission to publish a list of entities that hold authorizations, licenses, or other grants of authority issued by the Commission and that have certain foreign ownership, and for other purposes.1.Short titleThis Act may be cited as the Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act .2.List of entities holding FCC authorizations, licenses, or other grants of authority and having certain foreign ownership(a)DefinitionsIn this section:(1)Appropriate national security agencyThe term appropriate national security agency has the meaning given such term in section 9 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 ( 47 U.S.C. 1608 ).(2)CommissionThe term Commission means the Federal Communications Commission.(3)Covered countryThe term covered country means a country specified in section 4872(f)(2) of title 10, United States Code.(4)Covered entityThe term covered entity means—(A)the government of a covered country;(B)an entity organized under the laws of a covered country; and(C)a subsidiary of an entity described in subparagraph (B), regardless of whether the subsidiary is organized under the laws of a covered country.(b)Publication of listNot later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall publish on the internet website of the Commission a list of each entity—(1)that holds a license issued by the Commission pursuant to—(A)section 309(j) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 309(j) ); or(B)the Act of May 27, 1921 ( 47 U.S.C. 34 et seq. ; commonly known as the Cable Landing Licensing Act ) and Executive Order 10530 ( 3 U.S.C. 301 note; relating to the performance of certain functions vested in or subject to the approval of the President); and(2)with respect to which—(A)a covered entity holds an equity or voting interest that is required to be reported to the Commission under the ownership rules of the Commission; or(B)an appropriate national security agency has determined that a covered entity exerts control, regardless of whether such covered entity holds an equity or voting interest as described in subparagraph (A).(c)Rulemaking(1)In generalNot later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue rules to obtain information to identify each entity—(A)that holds any authorization, license, or other grant of authority issued by the Commission (other than a license described in subsection (b)(1)); and(B)with respect to which a covered entity holds an equity or voting interest that is required to be reported to the Commission under the ownership rules of the Commission.(2)Placement on listNot later than 1 year after the Commission issues the rules required by paragraph (1), the Commission shall place each entity described in such paragraph on the list published under subsection (b).(d)Paperwork Reduction Act exemptionA collection of information conducted or sponsored by the Commission to implement this section does not constitute a collection of information for the purposes of subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (commonly referred to as the Paperwork Reduction Act ).(e)Annual updatesThe Commission shall, not less frequently than annually, update the list published under subsection (b), including with respect to any entity required to be placed on such list by subsection (c)(2).Passed the Senate October 23, 2025. Secretary
Tracker
The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.
- Introduced2025-01-27
- Passed Senate2025-10-23
- Passed House
- Conference
- To President
- Became Law
CRS Summary
The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.
Introduced in Senate Jan 27, 2025
sb259/introduced-in-senate.mdShown Here:
Introduced in Senate (01/27/2025)
Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act
This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to annually publish a list of entities that hold a license or other authorization granted by the FCC and have ties to specified foreign countries.
With respect to entities holding cable landing licenses (for the placement and operation of submarine communications cables) or other licenses granted via competitive auction, the FCC must publish a list of all such entities (1) in which a covered entity holds a specified voting or equity interest, or (2) that have been determined by a national security agency to be subject to the control of a covered entity.
With respect to entities holding all other categories of FCC licenses or other authorizations, the FCC must first issue rules facilitating the collection of information on such licensees’ ownership structure. After that information is obtained, the FCC must add to the published list any such entity in which a covered entity holds a specified voting or equity interest.
Under the bill, a covered entity is defined as an entity organized in China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia; a subsidiary of such an entity; or the government of China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia.
Sponsors
Sen. Deb Fischer (R) sponsors S. 259, and 3 members have co-sponsored it, all of them from the day it was introduced.
Committees
S. 259 went before 1 committee: Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Reports
1 committee report has been filed on S. 259, the latest S. Rept. 119-36.
- S. Rept. 119-36 — FOREIGN ADVERSARY COMMUNICATIONS TRANSPARENCY ACT
Actions
S. 259 has taken 10 actions since Jan 27, 2025, the latest on Oct 24, 2025.
| Chamber | Action | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Oct 24, 202514:02 | House | Received in the House. | ||
Oct 24, 202514:15 | House | Held at the desk. | ||
Oct 23, 2025 | Senate | |||
Oct 23, 2025 | Senate | Message on Senate action sent to the House. | ||
Oct 23, 2025 | — | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Voice Vote. |
Votes
S. 259 has not gone to a roll call.
Related bills
1 bill is related to S. 259.
Titles
S. 259 goes by 5 titles, 3 of them short titles.
- Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act — Display Title
- Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act — Short Title(s) as Passed Senate
- Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act — Short Title(s) as Reported to Senate
- Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
- A bill to direct the Federal Communications Commission to publish a list of entities that hold authorizations, licenses, or other grants of authority issued by the Commission and that have certain foreign ownership, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced
Cost estimate
The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for S. 259, the latest on Jun 11, 2025.
- S. 259, Foreign Adversary Communications Transparency Act — 2025-06-11As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on April 30, 2025
Lobbying
5 clients hired 6 firms and 30 registered lobbyists who named S. 259 in 17 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.
Filed under Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Telecommunications, Trade (domestic/foreign), Budget/Appropriations, Computer Industry, Banking, Defense, Education.
Clients
Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.
| Client | Business | State | Firms | Filings | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | — | District of Columbia | 1 | 6 | — |
| AT&T SERVICES INC AND ITS AFFILIATES | — | District of Columbia | 2 | 4 | $150K |
| LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | Consumer electronics manufacturer | North Carolina | 1 | 4 | — |
| FDD ACTION | — | District of Columbia | 1 | 2 | — |
| CLEAN FUEL ALLIANCE "FKA NATIONAL BIODIESEL BOARD" | Biodiesel advocacy | Missouri | 1 | 1 | $30K |
Firms
Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.
| Registrant | Clients | Filings | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 1 | 6 | — |
| LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | 1 | 4 | — |
| MERCURY STRATEGIES, LLC | 1 | 3 | $150K |
| FDD ACTION | 1 | 2 | — |
| AT&T SERVICES, INC. AND ITS AFFILIATES | 1 | 1 | — |
| KIT BOND STRATEGIES | 1 | 1 | $30K |
Lobbyists
Named on the filings that cite the bill. The 20 named most often, of 30.
| Lobbyist | Firms | Clients | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMERALD LITKE-SMITH | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| MARIBETH COLLINS | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| TIMOTHY DONOVAN | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| HEATHER SMITH | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| JOHN HOWES | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| JON BEAMER | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| LESLEY HILL | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| ANDREW FIELDS | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| ANNE-MARIE KELLEY | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| JAMES GREEN | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| MATTHEW REID ZWEIG | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| NICHOLAS STEWART | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| SHAMA PATARI | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| TOBY DERSHOWITZ | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| TYLER STAPLETON | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| ALEXANDRIA PAOLOZZI MOORE | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| EILEEN BLISS | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| GEORGE REDDEN | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| JAMES ROBERTSON | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| JEREMY PEDERSON | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Filings
The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.
| Client | Registrant | Period | Reported | Document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT&T SERVICES INC AND ITS AFFILIATES | AT&T SERVICES, INC. AND ITS AFFILIATES | 2025 first_quarter | $2.8M | 1st Quarter - Report |
| LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | 2025 third_quarter | $430K | 3rd Quarter - Report |
| LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | 2025 fourth_quarter | $420K | 4th Quarter - Report |
| LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | 2025 second_quarter | $260K | 2nd Quarter - Report |
| LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | LENOVO (UNITED STATES) INC. | 2025 first_quarter | $240K | 1st Quarter - Report |
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 2026 second_quarter | $170K | 2nd Quarter - Report |
| FDD ACTION | FDD ACTION | 2025 second_quarter | $170K | 2nd Quarter - Report |
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 2025 third_quarter | $160K | 3rd Quarter - Report |
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 2025 second_quarter | $160K | 2nd Quarter - Report |
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 2025 first_quarter | $160K | 1st Quarter - Report |
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 2026 first_quarter | $150K | 1st Quarter - Report |
| COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | COMPETITIVE CARRIERS ASSOCIATION | 2025 fourth_quarter | $150K | 4th Quarter - Report |
| FDD ACTION | FDD ACTION | 2025 first_quarter | $150K | 1st Quarter - Report |
| AT&T SERVICES INC AND ITS AFFILIATES | MERCURY STRATEGIES, LLC | 2025 third_quarter | $50K | 3rd Quarter - Report |
| AT&T SERVICES INC AND ITS AFFILIATES | MERCURY STRATEGIES, LLC | 2025 second_quarter | $50K | 2nd Quarter - Report |
| AT&T SERVICES INC AND ITS AFFILIATES | MERCURY STRATEGIES, LLC | 2025 first_quarter | $50K | 1st Quarter - Report |
| CLEAN FUEL ALLIANCE "FKA NATIONAL BIODIESEL BOARD" | KIT BOND STRATEGIES | 2025 first_quarter | $30K | 1st Quarter - Report |
Classification
The Congressional Research Service files S. 259 under Science, Technology, Communications, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 14 legislative subjects.
CRS Subjects
CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; S. 259’s is Science, Technology, Communications.
s259/policy-areas.txtLegislative Subjects
S. 259 carries 14 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Asia to Venezuela.
s259/subjects.txtSource: congress.gov · legiscan.com
