Washington, December 19, 2024: A recent report by the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has criticized the U.S. Commerce Department’s efforts to limit China and Russia’s access to advanced American-made computer chips, calling them “inadequate.” The findings suggest that current enforcement strategies rely too heavily on voluntary compliance by U.S. chip manufacturers, which has proven ineffective in preventing these nations from acquiring critical technology.
The subcommittee’s report also highlights that Russian military entities continue to obtain American components, while Chinese smuggling networks are finding ways to bypass export controls. To address these issues, the report recommends increasing funding to hire more enforcement personnel, imposing higher fines for violations, and conducting periodic compliance audits by external agencies. Additionally, it points out that the Bureau of Industry and Security’s budget has remained stagnant since 2010, hindering effective oversight.
This assessment underscores the urgency of improving measures to prevent adversarial nations from acquiring technologies that could enhance their military capabilities. The report’s recommendations aim to reinforce the U.S.’s technological security and maintain its global edge in advanced technology.
