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HR 8287

Semiconductor Controls Effectiveness Act of 2026

119th Congress Introduced by Ami Bera and 6 co-sponsors

The bill requires a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of how U.S. semiconductor export controls affect PRC capabilities and national security, with an unclassified public repor

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
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Bill Summary · HR 8287

Summary of Bill: Semiconductor Controls Effectiveness Act of 2026 (H.R. 8287)

Session: 119th Congress | Jurisdiction: United States | Introduced: April 15, 2026

1) Purpose and Intent

  • Title: Semiconductor Controls Effectiveness Act of 2026
  • Core aim: Require a comprehensive, data-driven assessment of the impact and effectiveness of United States semiconductor export controls on the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
  • Policy rationale (as stated in the bill): U.S. semiconductor export controls remain critical for national security and maintaining leadership in AI and technology competition with China. The bill emphasizes the need for rigorous evaluation, transparency, and evidence-based adjustments to export-control policy.

2) Key Provisions and Changes

A. Sense of Congress (Section 2)

  • Affirms that export controls on semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME) and advanced integrated circuits are essential for national security and AI competition with the PRC.
  • Declares that rigorous, data-driven evaluation of export controls is necessary.
  • Acknowledges that controls have impacted PRC military modernization, indigenous semiconductor development, and AI progress.
  • Supports public disclosure of real-world data and impact analysis to inform national security, foreign policy, and economic decisions.

B. Required Report on Impact and Effectiveness (Section 3)

  • Timing: A comprehensive report due within 360 days after enactment.
  • Lead Agencies/Coordination: Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence and Research (ISR), in coordination with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security, and the Director of National Intelligence.
  • Audience: Submitted to appropriate congressional committees; intended for unclassified posting with a potential classified annex.

Key Elements to be Included in the Report

  1. Inventory of Export Controls: A full catalog of all U.S. export controls concerning semiconductors and SME destined for the PRC.
  2. Control Details (per item):
    • Description and date of imposition
    • Type: technology control, end-use control, or end-user control
    • Nature: unilateral vs. multilateral with allies/partners
  3. Impact Analysis (quantitative and qualitative):
    • Original objectives and goals of each control
    • Effects on PRC military, intelligence, surveillance capabilities
    • Effects on PRC semiconductor R&D, manufacturing, and advanced ICs
    • Effects on PRC AI capabilities (computing capacity, model usage, data processing)
    • Effects on PRC revenue, market share, and indigenous industry
    • Effects on U.S. company revenue and whether shifts benefited allied/global companies or PRC firms
    • Effects on U.S. long-term technology leadership and competitiveness
    • Assessment of ongoing effectiveness in achieving stated national security goals
  4. Foreign Availability: Analysis of whether comparable items from outside the United States undermined the controls, including origins of foreign availability (PRC sources vs. allies/partners).

C. Additional Analysis (Section 3)

  • Identify which controls have been most successful in constraining PRC capabilities.
  • Identify any controls that have disproportionately harmed U.S. industry without commensurate security benefits; explain why they failed to constrain the PRC.
  • Provide recommendations to bolster U.S.-industry cooperation, compliance, and overall control effectiveness.
  • Propose enhancements to export-control efficacy, including:
    • Refinements to existing controls
    • Methods to strengthen enforcement
    • Closing diversion loopholes

D. Stakeholder Engagement (Section 3, subsection d)

  • The ISR Assistant Secretary must engage stakeholders to inform the assessment, including:
    • Federal agencies
    • Private sector entities in the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem
    • Academia, think tanks, and research organizations with relevant expertise

E. Transparency and Form (Section 3, subsection e)

  • The report must be submitted in unclassified form and posted on the State Department website.
  • A classified annex may be included if appropriate.

F. Definition of Appropriate Congressional Committees (Section 4)

  • House: Committee on Foreign Affairs
  • Senate: Committee on Foreign Relations; Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

3) Who/What Would Be Affected

  • U.S. government agencies involved in export controls (State Department ISR, Department of Commerce, intelligence community).
  • U.S. semiconductor manufacturers, SME suppliers, and advanced computing firms.
  • Allied and partner nations participating in multilateral controls or export regimes.
  • PRC entities receiving or seeking semiconductor technology, equipment, or related software/services.
  • Academic, industry, and think-tank communities providing expertise and input during stakeholder engagement.

4) Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction Date: April 15, 2026; Referral to House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  • Committee Action: Mark-up and passage in committee; reported amended with voice or recorded vote.
  • Reporting Timeline: A comprehensive, unclassified report due within 360 days of enactment, with a potential classified annex.
  • Publication: Unclassified report to be posted on the State Department website; classified annex to be released as warranted.
  • Jurisdictional Reach: Focuses on U.S. export controls related to semiconductors and SME destined for the PRC; emphasizes coordination across State, Commerce, and Intelligence Community.

5) Notable Details

  • Bipartisan sponsorship and co-sponsorship reflecting concern over China’s AI and semiconductor advancement.
  • Emphasizes public disclosure of data to illuminate policy impacts.
  • Seeks actionable recommendations to refine controls, strengthen enforcement, and close loopholes.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with current export-control regimes or draft a one-page briefing for policymakers.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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