Washington, August 12: Two U.S. senators have introduced a bipartisan package of four bills aimed at tightening export controls, monitoring China’s artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, and protecting American technology from foreign espionage.
Republican Senator John Husted from Ohio and Democratic Senator Mark Warner from Virginia stated that this legislation will close loopholes that adversarial nations, including China, could exploit.
Husted emphasized, “America must continue to lead and win in the technology race. However, we know that Communist China’s strategy has never been one of fair competition, but rather theft and exploitation.”
He added, “This bipartisan package will enhance our understanding of China’s activities, enforce laws more effectively, and protect American companies, workers, and innovations from Chinese espionage.”
Under the proposed China AI Power Report Act, the Secretaries of Commerce and State will be required to present an annual assessment of China’s advanced AI capabilities. The first report must be submitted within 180 days of the bill becoming law, followed by annual reports for the next three years.
This assessment will examine China’s AI chips, semiconductor factories, manufacturing equipment, data centers, computing power, AI models, research programs, and humanoid robots. It will also investigate how China attempts to evade U.S. export control regulations or illegally acquire intellectual property.
The report will compare China’s capabilities with those of the U.S. and its allies. While the report will be publicly accessible, it may include a classified annex.
Warner stated, “America must maintain leadership in technologies that will shape the future. We cannot allow China or other foreign adversaries to benefit from American innovation and use our own technologies against us.”
He added, “These bipartisan bills bring practical and sensible reforms that will strengthen U.S. national security, safeguard our technological edge, and enhance our position in global competition.”
Another bill proposes extending the statute of limitations for civil or criminal cases under the Export Control Reform Act from five years to ten years. Lawmakers argue that it often takes more than five years to identify and take action against technology smuggling networks linked to China.
The Adversaries Act will require the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to review whether U.S.-based affiliates of companies listed on the Entity List or Military User List can acquire controlled technology or products. This review must begin within 90 days of the law’s enactment. Additionally, national security threats related to foreign-controlled information and communication technology services will be investigated, with recommendations for potential changes to U.S. laws.
Under the BIS Strength Act, the bureau will be temporarily authorized to hire experts from outside the civil service. A maximum of 25 experts can be appointed at any time, with each appointment limited to five years. This special hiring authority will also expire after five years.
All four proposals have bipartisan versions in the House of Representatives. The House Foreign Affairs Committee unanimously approved its version of the China AI Power Report Act with a 47-0 vote on January 21, 2026.
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