US House panel advances bill to give Congress authority on AI chip exports

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by Andy HirschfeldJanuary 21, 2026 at 10:33 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

The US House Foreign Affairs Committee has advanced the "AI Overwatch Act," a bill granting Congress greater authority over AI chip exports. Introduced by Representative Brian Mast, the bill aims to give the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Banking Committee the power to review and potentially block licenses for exporting advanced AI chips to China and other adversarial nations. This action follows President Trump's approval of Nvidia AI chip shipments to China. The bill requires the Commerce Department to provide detailed applications ensuring the chips won't be used for military, intelligence, or surveillance purposes by these nations. The legislation, which still needs approval from the full House and Senate, is intended to prevent advanced AI technology from aiding potential adversaries in military advancements.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

David Sacks 50% Nvidia 50% United States Department of Commerce 60% North Korea 60% Cuba 60% Venezuela 60% Donald Trump 60% Russia 60% Iran 60% Brian Mast ×270% United States House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee ×290% China ×490%

Keywords

ai chip exports 100% artificial intelligence 80% china 70% us congress 70% export controls 60% military applications 50% national security 50% adversary nations 40%