H.R. 10670: China FIREWALL Act of 2026

The bill would direct the federal government to stop using certain artificial intelligence applications on government-owned or government-managed devices and software systems if those AI tools are developed or provided by a foreign entity of concern or are software that uses a foundation model from such an entity.

What the bill would require

• Within 60 days of enactment, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), working with several other federal agencies, would have to create standards and guidelines for executive agencies to remove covered applications from federal information technology systems.
• Executive agencies would be prohibited from buying, or continuing to buy, any covered application, including software that uses a covered application.
• The rules would include exceptions for law enforcement, national security, and security research.
• If an agency uses one of these applications under an exception, it would have to create and document risk-mitigation steps for that use.
• OMB could grant waivers case by case if doing so is in the interest of national security.

How the bill defines the software it targets

The bill defines a covered application as any AI application developed or provided by a foreign entity of concern, or software that uses a foundation model from such an entity. A foundation model is described as an AI-based software component trained on a broad dataset, designed for general use, and adaptable to many different tasks.

Practical effect

If enacted, the bill would likely require federal agencies to review their software and device systems, identify any affected AI products, and remove or replace them unless an exception or waiver applies. It would also limit future federal purchases of such tools.

Relevant Companies

• None found