Senator to Keep Pushing Chip Export Control Bill After Legislative Setback
Although his bill to restrict exports of advanced AI chips didn't make it into the final FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which lawmakers unveiled this week (see 2512080048), Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said late Dec. 9 that he's not giving up on his proposal.
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Although Banks originally offered his Guaranteeing Access and Innovation for National Artificial Intelligence Act, or Gain AI Act, as an amendment that was included in the Senate-passed version of the NDAA, he noted that he and the leaders of the House Select Committee on China also have put forth the chips measure as stand-alone legislation (see 2510300044). He also could seek to attach his proposal to another legislative vehicle.
“I’m not giving up on the Gain AI Act,” Banks told reporters. “It continues to gain traction and support, so we’ll see where it goes from here. We introduced it as a stand-alone bill, and we’ll look for another home for it.”
The Gain AI Act would require U.S. manufacturers of advanced AI chips to make their products available to American firms before selling them to China. Proponents say many U.S. firms face backlogged orders for advanced AI chips due to limited production capacity (see 2510310034). The semiconductor industry strongly opposes the legislation, arguing that it's overly complex and unnecessary.