Bipartisan Bill Would Permanently Bar Chinese AI From U.S. Federal Agencies
A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation in both chambers of Congress on June 25 that would create a permanent framework barring federal agencies from using artificial intelligence developed in China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea. The bill, called the No Adversarial AI Act, names DeepSeek as a primary example of the threat it is designed to address.
What the Bill Would Do
The legislation would prohibit U.S. executive agencies from buying or using AI technologies developed by companies based in or controlled by foreign adversaries. The Federal Acquisition Security Council would be required to create and publicly maintain a list of banned AI models, updated every 180 days.
Federal agencies would not be able to purchase or deploy any listed technology without an exemption from Congress or the Office of Management and Budget. Narrow exemptions would be available for research, testing, or national security purposes, with written justification and notice to Congress required. The bill also includes a mechanism to remove AI models from the list if they can demonstrate they are not controlled or influenced by a foreign adversary.
Related reading: U.S. Customs’ “5H” Inspections Hit Chinese Imports Hard
Who Is Behind the Bill
In the House, the bill is led by Representative John Moolenaar, a Michigan Republican who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Illinois Democrat who serves as the committee's ranking member. Representatives Ritchie Torres of New York and Darin LaHood of Illinois are co-sponsors. In the Senate, the bill is led by Senator Rick Scott of Florida and Senator Gary Peters of Michigan.
The bipartisan makeup of the sponsors reflects the broad consensus in Congress around restricting Chinese technology from government systems,
