Bill > S5598

This bill, titled the Blocking Foreign Cellular Modules in Defense Systems Act of 2026, requires the Secretary of Defense to launch a comprehensive, Department-wide audit within 180 days to identify the presence of potentially risky "cellular modules"—which are small hardware components that provide wireless cellular connectivity to devices like Internet of Things sensors and military infrastructure—that are made by companies linked to the Chinese government or otherwise deemed to present an unacceptable supply-chain risk. The audit will prioritize systems critical to military mobility, logistics, and installation security across all defense branches and contractor-operated networks to assess their cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the Secretary of Defense must submit the first of several regular reports to congressional defense committees within one year detailing the audit's findings, outlining mitigation strategies such as replacing vulnerable hardware, updating software, or isolating networks, and providing cost estimates and timelines, followed by a separate effectiveness report from the Comptroller General of the United States.