ABOUT
The Guarding the U.S. Against Adversarial Robotics Dominance (GUARD) Act is bipartisan legislation introduced by Select Committee Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Congressman Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan (D-VA) to protect Americans from the national security threats posed by robots made in China and other foreign adversary nations.
The bill directs national security agencies to review adversary-produced humanoid and quadruped robots for national security risks. Products found to present unacceptable risks—such as backdoors that could be exploited for espionage or remote disruption—will be placed on the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Covered List, prohibiting their importation into the United States. Any product not reviewed within one year is automatically added to the Covered List. By applying the same scrutiny already used for technologies like Huawei, ZTE, and DJI, the GUARD Act aims to protect national security, critical infrastructure, and American workers while strengthening U.S. leadership in trusted robotics.
Read the full bill and press release here.
Endorsements for the GUARD Act
Michael Robbins, President and CEO, AUVSI:
"AUVSI applauds the leadership of Chairman Moolenaar, Rep. McClellan, and Rep. Obernolte in introducing the GUARD Act. As robotics become more deeply embedded across the U.S. economy and manufacturing base, it is imperative that we protect against high-risk Chinese Communist Party-controlled systems that could expose sensitive data, create persistent access, or enable remote disruption. The GUARD Act establishes an important framework to identify and restrict adversarial robotics before strategic dependence takes hold."
Peggy Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Agility Robotics:
"Agility welcomes the introduction of the GUARD Act to address the national security, safety, and economic concerns posed by Chinese-made humanoid robots. This legislation sends an important market signal as U.S. robotics companies continue investing in resilient supply chains, domestic manufacturing capabilities, and trusted technologies. We believe these efforts will help strengthen America's industrial base and reinforce U.S. leadership in the next generation of robotics."
Alexandria Paolozzi Moore, Senior Director of Government Relations, FDD Action:
"The GUARD Act of 2026 closes a real and growing gap in our national security framework by bringing foreign-made robotics communications equipment under the same scrutiny we already apply to other sensitive technologies. Robots that navigate our physical spaces, collect sensor data, and operate autonomously present unique risks when produced or controlled by entities beholden to adversarial governments. Congress should move swiftly to advance this bill. The threats it addresses are not hypothetical, and the window to act is narrowing."
Craig Singleton, China Program Senior Director and Senior Fellow, Foundation for Defense of Democracies:
"China's robotics sector does not operate independently from the state. Under Beijing's military-civil fusion strategy, commercial robotics firms, sensor manufacturers, AI developers, and battery suppliers are being integrated into the People's Liberation Army's modernization efforts. As these systems become more capable and more connected, they raise legitimate concerns about data security, network exposure, and dual-use risks. Any foreign adversary-linked robotics platform operating in the United States warrants careful national security scrutiny."
Michael Sobolik, Senior Fellow, Hudson Institute*:
"Chinese Communist Party-controlled robots is how Beijing turns the far-fetched plot of Red Dawn into reality. Instead of crossing the Pacific Ocean and invading our homeland, the People's Liberation Army could exploit back-door access to control robots in American homes, neighborhoods, stores, and offices. Washington needs to get ahead of this threat, particularly given the coming robotics revolution. The GUARD Act would address this threat to the homeland by leveraging the FCC's Covered List to block the use of CCP-controlled robots or software in America."
Aiden Buzzetti, President, The Bull Moose Project:
"The Bull Moose Project strongly supports the GUARD Act as a necessary step in securing America's industrial future against adversarial infiltration. Robotics are physical infrastructure deployed in our factories, logistics networks, and critical facilities, and allowing the Chinese Communist Party a foothold there would be a strategic error we cannot afford. The GUARD Act applies the same common-sense logic that drove action on Huawei, ZTE, and DJI to the next frontier of adversarial technology risk, and we urge its swift passage."
Rye Barcott, Co-Founder and CEO, With Honor:
“The GUARD Act addresses an issue we can no longer ignore,” said Rye Barcott, CEO and Co-Founder of With Honor. “When robotics and humanoids are built or controlled by foreign entities, they carry the same risks we've already recognized in telecom equipment: data exposure, persistent network access, and the potential for manipulation. The GUARD Act puts a clear, enforceable deadline on identifying these risks. With Honor Action commends Chairman Moolenaar and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party for their leadership on these serious national security threats.”
*Organization name is listed for identification purposes and does not imply organizational endorsement.