List of certain telecommunications providers

Not later than 30 days after December 27, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence and other appropriate Federal agencies as determined jointly by the Secretary and the Director of National Intelligence, shall develop or maintain, as the case may be, and update as frequently as the Secretary determines appropriate, a list of covered contractors with respect to which the Department should seek to avoid entering into contracts. Not later than 30 days after the initial development of the list under this subsection, any update thereto, and annually thereafter for 5 years after such initial 30 day period, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a copy of such list. In this section, the term “covered contractor” means a provider of telecommunications, telecommunications equipment, or information technology equipment, including hardware, software, or services, that has knowingly assisted or facilitated a cyber attack or conducted surveillance, including passive or active monitoring, carried out against—