Shreve Introduces Legislation To Protect Critical U.S. Technologies From China

Washington, DC — Congressman Jefferson Shreve (R-IN) and Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA) introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen our national security by preventing adversaries, including China, from accessing sensitive American technologies.

The bill — the Bureau of Industry and Security Strategic Talent Recruitment to Enhance National Guardrails for Technological Handling Act (BIS STRENGTH Act) — strengthens staffing at the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), which administers and enforces U.S. export controls on sensitive and dual-use technologies.

BIS faces persistent challenges in recruiting and retaining specialized experts, even as adversaries work aggressively to evade export controls and obtain advanced U.S. technology.

The BIS STRENGTH Act authorizes the Under Secretary of Commerce for Industry and Security to appoint 25 highly qualified technical experts and offer competitive compensation, within existing federal pay limits, to attract and retain top-tier talent.

Rep. Shreve said, “Export controls only work if we have the experts to enforce them. This bill strengthens BIS with the specialized talent it needs to stay ahead of evolving threats, protect America’s technological edge, and defend our national security.”

Rep. Kamlager-Dove said, "Ensuring BIS is staffed with technical expertise is essential for the agency’s efforts to keep advanced technologies out of the hands of our adversaries. The loss of career technical experts at BIS in the last year has significantly undermined BIS’s ability to administer the export controls that help safeguard U.S. national security. I’m proud to introduce this bill with Rep. Shreve to open up a new pathway for technical experts to join BIS and ensure that BIS is equipped to work at the cutting edge of new dual-use technologies.”