S. 4882, National Security Technology Control. Quorum's AI analysis reads it as a trade-off: gains for some, costs for others.
S. 4882 · Mixed
What it does
This bill creates a new federal office within the Commerce Department to review and block technology transactions involving companies from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Cuba if they pose national security risks. The Secretary of Commerce gains broad authority to prohibit, restrict, or impose conditions on the sale, import, or use of foreign-controlled information technology and services in the U.S., with minimal judicial review and exemptions for open-source software and expressive materials.
The analysis names U.S. domestic technology and telecommunications companies (reduced foreign competition) — and 2 more groups — among the beneficiaries.
The trade-off
The bill exempts itself from standard Administrative Procedure Act notice-and-comment rulemaking (section 1785F), allowing the Secretary to impose restrictions without public input or formal regulatory process.
The analysis put a high warning level on this bill. Transparency scores 45%, and the analysis found no provisions unrelated to the bill's subject.
Who is behind it
Filed by Tim Scott. Cosponsored by Bill Hagerty.