House Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Limit Adversaries’ Remote Access to Critical Technology

Today, the House of Representatives passed the Remote Access Security Act, a bipartisan bill that modernizes the Export Control Reform Act by expanding federal authority to restrict foreign adversaries’ ability to access technologies, including AI chips, remotely through cloud computing services.

“The CCP’s AI ambitions are being fueled by its access to American chips housed in data centers located outside of China,” said Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, a cosponsor of the legislation. “This bill brings our laws into the digital age and makes it clear that cloud compute is subject to U.S. export control law, just like physical chips. Closing these loopholes will strengthen U.S. national security and protect American innovation.”

The Remote Access Security Act, which was led by Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY), directly addresses this threat by clarifying that export controls can be applied equally to remote access, provision of access, and cloud-based exposure of controlled items. 

The Select Committee has repeatedly warned that CCP-aligned entities use cloud services and remote computing to evade U.S. restrictions on advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and other sensitive technologies.