Trade Law Daily is a Warren News publication.

5th Circuit Denies Huawei Challenge to FCC USF Ban

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied Huawei’s challenge to the FCC ban of the Chinese telecom gear vendor's equipment from networks funded by the Universal Service Fund under its national security supply chain rules (see 1911220064). Huawei sought…

Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article

Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.

the review in December. “If we were convinced that the FCC is here acting as ‘a sort of junior-varsity’ State Department,” the court “would set the rule aside,” Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan said Friday for the three-judge panel. “But no such skullduggery is afoot. Assessing security risks to telecom networks falls in the FCC’s wheelhouse.” Huawei is “disappointed” by the ruling and is “assessing” its “options to respond,” a spokesperson emailed: The company continues “to believe the FCC acted without authority in changing” its USF rules. The FCC didn’t comment. Wiley’s Tom Johnson, former FCC general counsel, said he’s “proud to have represented” the U.S. “in this important case.” Matthew Berry, who was chief of staff to then-FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, also praised the ruling.