Krishnamoorthi, Moolenaar Express Support and Call For Redlines Against Doing Business with CCP-Affiliated Entities in Commerce's New AI Export Control Framework
WASHINGTON DC — On January 2, Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) and Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party urged Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to impose strict redlines in a soon to be published ‘Export Control Framework for AI Diffusion.’ This framework would establish the protocols in which high-end U.S. technology used in Artificial Intelligence can be exported abroad.
Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi and Chairman Moolenaar support the Export Control Framework for AI Diffusion, and offered specific recommendations to ensure these controls keep critical and sensitive AI technology out of the Chinese Communist Party’s hands – which they leverage to build the People’s Liberation Army, hack the United States, and oppress Chinese citizens.
In the letter, the lawmakers write, “We strongly encourage you to move forward with this important action. . . . In finalizing the rule, you should impose clear redlines for countries that may want access to U.S. technology. For example, any foreign country that houses a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) base (or has comparable agreements to regularly host PLA assets and personnel or PRC intelligence capabilities) should not be allowed to receive advanced U.S. GPUs, or any country that hosts Huawei cloud computing infrastructure should be restricted from accessing the model weights of closed-weight dual-use AI models.”
View the lawmakers’ letter HERE or continue reading below.
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Dear Secretary Raimondo,
It is our understanding that the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is close to publishing a new ‘Export Control Framework for AI Diffusion’ that would create a global licensing regime for the export of advanced GPUs and the model weights of closed-weight dual-use AI models. It is well known that the PRC uses illicit methods and loopholes to maintain access to U.S. GPUs, including by using foreign subsidiaries and accessing remote cloud computing services located outside of the PRC. As such, we strongly believe the United States needs a global answer to the PRC’s global circumvention efforts.
Powerful AI systems will not only create economic opportunities but lead to new national security capabilities ranging from offensive cyber tools to signals intelligence. While reasonable minds can differ on the merits of the draft AI diffusion rule’s complexity, we should all broadly support its goal of keeping these powerful systems away from the PRC. We strongly encourage you to move forward with this important action.
It is clear that U.S. model weights and advanced GPUs are coveted technologies by our partners and adversaries alike. Therefore, this is a unique opportunity for the United States to use its leadership in AI technology to push other countries to limit their interactions with the PRC in contexts where it threatens our national security interests. In finalizing the rule, you should impose clear redlines for countries that may want access to U.S. technology. For example, any foreign country that houses a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) base (or has comparable agreements to regularly host PLA assets and personnel or PRC intelligence capabilities) should not be allowed to receive advanced U.S. GPUs, or any country that hosts Huawei cloud computing infrastructure should be restricted from accessing the model weights of closed-weight dual-use AI models. BIS should also endeavor to routinely update these regulations, rather than once a year, to adapt to rapidly shifting tactics employed by the PRC to circumvent our export control laws and do so based on the latest intelligence about the PRC’s global ambitions and other nations’ willingness and intent to cooperate with the PRC. We should be both creative and clear about our demands.
While we continue to have serious concerns around the Microsoft-G42 deal and the UAE’s ties to the PRC, we do agree that demand for U.S. AI technology is an opportunity to pry both companies and countries out of Beijing’s orbit. From trade to technology policy, we have a serious once-in-a-generation moment to leverage U.S. AI technology to push countries towards the United States and away from the PRC, while also ensuring that the most sophisticated AI models continue to be trained in the United States. We should take it.
Thank you for your continued work on this important matter.
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