September 30, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. — USTelecom Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Brandon Heiner issued the following statement today following the introduction of bipartisan legislation from Senators Eric Schmitt and Alex Padilla to strengthen federal enforcement against copper theft targeting communications infrastructure:
“Copper theft isn’t a victimless crime. More than 18,000 attacks on communications infrastructure disrupted service for 11.8 million customers last year, putting at risk the connectivity Americans rely on every day, including access to critical public safety and emergency services. This bipartisan legislation gives law enforcement the tools they need to go after the bad guys and help protect our nation’s critical communications infrastructure from those who seek to do it harm. We appreciate Senators Schmitt and Padilla for leading the charge with this bill.”