Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Darin LaHood (IL-16) – a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the Select Committee on China – introduced the Advanced AI Security Readiness Act alongside Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (MI-02), Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), and Representative Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05). This legislation directs the National Security Agency (NSA) to develop an AI security playbook to defend American advanced technology against our foreign adversaries.
“The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively targeting the United States’ advanced AI technology to undermine our national security,” said Rep. LaHood. “As AI becomes an integrated part of society, Congress must ensure that the United States fortifies our technology defenses and remains the undeniable leader. I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing the Advanced AI Security Readiness Act to draw a clear line that we will not allow our foreign adversaries to steal, exploit, or weaponize American innovation. Congress must secure our capabilities and ensure the United States stays ahead in this critical domain.”
“It’s simple: the U.S. must win the AI race. AI is a strategic asset vital to America’s economic and national security, not just another tech trend—it has immense power, and we should treat it that way,” said Chairman Moolenaar. “This bill is a major win for our families, businesses, and communities, giving our national security agencies the playbook they need to defend artificial intelligence from malicious actors across the globe.”
“Artificial intelligence is one of the most consequential technologies of our lifetime already, and the race to develop and safeguard it will shape the balance of global power for decades to come,” said Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi. “As adversaries like the Chinese Communist Party seek to exploit vulnerabilities in our AI infrastructure, we must ensure the United States remains several steps ahead. This bipartisan legislation will empower the NSA to map those vulnerabilities and chart a path forward to protect our most sensitive AI capabilities.”
“We must put proper safeguards in place to defend our national security and ensure that our nation remains a leading force in innovation,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5), Ranking Member of the House Intelligence National Security Agency and Cyber Subcommittee. “That’s why I’m proud to co-lead the bipartisan Advanced AI Security Readiness Act with Congressman LaHood to strengthen protections for U.S. artificial intelligence technologies. As American entrepreneurs continue to face threats from foreign adversaries like China, this critical legislation will help ensure that we safeguard U.S. innovation from espionage and theft.”
Background:
There is evidence that the CCP’s DeepSeek used illegal distillation techniques to steal insights from U.S. AI models to accelerate their own technology development. The Advanced AI Security Readiness Act directs the NSA’s AI Security Center to develop an AI Security Playbook to address vulnerabilities, threat detection, cyber and physical security strategies, and contingency plans for highly sensitive AI systems.
The impact that the legislation would have includes:
- Safeguarding U.S. AI innovation from espionage and theft to maintain national defense and technological leadership;
- Protecting AI systems by implementing cybersecurity standards, identifying high-risk vulnerabilities, and supporting potential United States secure development pathways; and
- Strengthening U.S. national security by directing the NSA to proactively identify and mitigate threats of technology theft by targeting advanced AI systems.
Read the full text of the legislation HERE.
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