US Export Control Efforts: A Call for Action and Change

A Senate subcommittee has criticized the Commerce Department's insufficient resources to enforce export controls on American chips, vital to US national security. The report shows that ongoing violations allow China and Russia to acquire advanced technology, urging increased funding and stricter enforcement measures.

The Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has flagged the Commerce Department's attempts to limit China and Russia's access to US-made advanced computer chips as inadequate. This comes amid rising concerns over their capability to produce sophisticated weapons.

The Biden administration had imposed export restrictions post-Ukraine invasion; however, enforcement has been hampered by insufficient resources within the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), which relies heavily on voluntary compliance from chip manufacturers.

Despite stagnant budgets, Commerce insists it's committed to safeguarding national security. Recommendations include increasing funding to bolster enforcement, larger penalties for infractions, and external audits of the chip export controls. The subcommittee stresses urgent reforms to counteract circumvented controls and illegal exports.

(With inputs from agencies.)