S.Amdt. 6211

The Remote Access Security Act is an amendment to bill S. 4784. Its primary purpose is to give the President authority to regulate and control remote access to specific items subject to United States jurisdiction that are listed on the Commerce Control List.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• New Definitions: It defines a foreign person of concern (including certain governments, entities headquartered in those regions, or persons on the Entity List) and remote access (accessing an item from a location other than where the item is physically located).

• Presidential Authority: The President can regulate remote access if it is provided to a foreign person of concern from outside the U.S. and involves:

  • Cloud infrastructure services with aggregate processing performance that exceeds a technical standard set by the Secretary.
  • Software that poses serious risks to national security or foreign policy, specifically software designed for offensive cyberspace operations or surveillance (such as spyware, location tracking, or biometrics).
  • Other purposes established by the Secretary.

• Oversight and Guidance:

  • The Secretary must create an advisory committee with members from the Federal Government and industry (including semiconductor manufacturers and AI labs) to help set technical standards.
  • The Secretary of Commerce must keep Congress informed about new regulations and their impact on national security, foreign policy, and the U.S. economy.
  • A report must be submitted to Congress and the public within one year to assess the implementation of these rules and recommend further changes.

• Duration: The authority to impose these remote access controls expires 10 years after the Act is enacted.