Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD), both members of the House Select Committee on China, have re-introduced a bill that would prohibit the Department of Transportation from using digital 3-D mapping technology, known as LiDAR, if it is sourced from foreign adversaries. LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, is used to create highly detailed three-dimensional maps of environments.
Moolenaar stated, “Taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund technology from our adversaries. This bill makes America’s critical infrastructure more secure from foreign surveillance and influence by ensuring the Department of Transportation is not supporting the growing market share of Chinese-made LiDAR equipment. It’s a common-sense step to put American security first.”
Johnson added, “LiDAR technology creates incredibly detailed maps of its surroundings. Allowing our adversaries like China to have access to these maps of critical infrastructure like ports, railways, airports, roads, and bridges could allow them to disrupt our supply chains and cause a national security crisis. My bill ensures our nation’s critical infrastructure is protected from the malign interests of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) said, “LiDAR is essential to modern infrastructure, but when it’s controlled by companies linked to the Chinese Communist Party, it becomes a security risk. We can’t allow adversaries to gather sensitive data or disrupt our systems. This bill takes a necessary step to keep our infrastructure secure and our technology supply chains trusted.”
Representative Julia Brownley (D-CA) explained her support for the legislation: “While LiDAR technology is widely employed in our nation’s transit infrastructure, including in airports, autonomous vehicles, and traffic control systems, it is increasingly being produced by Chinese companies that are required to hand over any data collected by their equipment to the Chinese government upon request. This raises serious concerns that China could not only access sensitive data mapping U.S. infrastructure, but also use it to disrupt the systems that rely on their technology. That is why I am joining Rep. Johnson to introduce legislation prohibiting the Department of Transportation from using LiDAR technology sourced from foreign adversaries. Now more than ever, we must remain vigilant and proactive in safeguarding the infrastructure that Americans depend on every day.”
Industry representatives also commented on the proposal. Henry Hanscom of the American Trucking Association said that trucks regularly access sensitive sites such as ports and military installations; therefore supply chain and infrastructure security are important for their industry: “The American Trucking Associations commends Reps. Johnson, Brownley, Moolenaar, and Krishnamoorthi for taking this issue seriously by working to block potential national security threats from foreign-owned LiDAR technology.”
Michael Robbins of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International stated: “This legislation marks an important step forward in strengthening the security of America’s transportation systems and critical infrastructure. As LiDAR technology becomes increasingly central to the future of transportation, including autonomous systems, it’s essential that the technology used to build and operate our national infrastructure is safe, secure, and protected against adversarial interference.”
The Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act has bipartisan support with cosponsorship from Krishnamoorthi and Brownley.
