The head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed Monday that money in a fund meant to subsidize broadband and phone access for low-income households not be spent on products from companies that “pose a national security threat to United States communications networks.”

Republican FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement that cybersecurity backdoors in some technology could be exploited by foreign governments seeking to undermine the U.S.

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“Although the FCC alone can’t safeguard the integrity of our communications supply chain, we must and will play our part in a government- and industry-wide effort to protect the security of our networks,” he said.

Pai's comments come as Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Tom Cotton Tom Bryant CottonGOP brushes back charges of hypocrisy in Supreme Court fight Trump uses bin Laden raid to attack Biden Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (Ark.), push for legislation that would prevent the government from procuring phones from Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE over concerns that they could contain cybersecurity weaknesses that could be exploited by the Chinese government.

Last year, the White House blocked several American acquisitions of Chinese firms on national security.

In his statement, Pai proposed that the FCC’s Universal Service Fund will no longer be spent at companies that pose national security risks.

FCC officials speaking during a press call on Monday said that any money directed away from companies would not affect recipients of the Universal Service Fund, which include individuals enrolled in Lifeline, a program that subsidizes broadband access for low-income households.

The FCC has not yet specified companies that pose a threat, but so far initiatives outside the agency have been focused on Chinese corporations with close ties to the Chinese government.

FCC officials said that Republican pushes played a part in Pai’s decision to make the proposal. On Dec. 20, Pai received a letter from Cotton and others urging the chairman to consider national security risks some companies may pose. FCC officials said that Pai also received intelligence briefings on the matter, helped prompt his new proposal.