The House of Representatives has passed the Remote Access Security Act, a bipartisan bill intended to update the Export Control Reform Act by increasing federal powers to limit foreign adversaries' remote access to certain technologies through cloud computing services.
Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, who is a cosponsor of the legislation, said, “The CCP’s AI ambitions are being fueled by its access to American chips housed in data centers located outside of China. 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.”
Congressman Mike Lawler (R-NY) led the introduction of the bill. The new law clarifies that export controls now cover not only physical exports but also remote access and provision of access through cloud-based platforms for controlled items.
The Select Committee on China has previously warned that entities aligned with the Chinese Communist Party use cloud services and remote computing as ways to bypass existing U.S. restrictions on advanced semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and other sensitive technologies.
