The Senate on Thursday voted unanimously to pass a bill that would prevent companies deemed as security threats—such as Chinese state-backed firms Huawei and ZTE—from being granted new equipment licenses from U.S. regulators. Specifically, the Secure Equipment Act of 2021 would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from both reviewing and issuing new equipment licenses to companies on its “Covered Equipment or Services List” that pose a national security threat. The bipartisan and bicameral legislation was approved last week by the House on a 420-4 vote. The measure now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), who authored the legislation with Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.), celebrated the bill’s passage. “Our bipartisan legislation will prevent China from infiltrating America’s telecommunications networks and compromising our national security,” Scalise said in a statement. “Equipment made by Huawei and ZTE, companies linked to the Chinese government, increases the vulnerabilities of …