REMOTE ACCESS SECURITY ACT

On 2026-01-12, Representative Gabe Amo (D-RI-1) delivered a floor speech titled "REMOTE ACCESS SECURITY ACT" in the House. The speech addressed taxes and also covered the environment, foreign policy. It referenced legislation: HR2683.

REMOTE ACCESS SECURITY ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 8 (Monday, January 12, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 8 (Monday, January 12, 2026)] [House] [Pages H621-H623] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REMOTE ACCESS SECURITY ACT Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2683) to provide for control of remote access of items under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2683 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Remote Access Security Act''. SEC. 2. CONTROL OF REMOTE ACCESS OF ITEMS UNDER THE EXPORT CONTROL REFORM ACT OF 2018. The Export Control Reform Act of 2018 is amended as follows: (1) In section 1742 (50 U.S.C. 4801), by adding at the end the following: ``(15) Remote access.--The term `remote access' means access on a purposeful, knowing, reckless, or negligent basis to an item subject to the jurisdiction of the United States under this Act by a foreign person through a network connection, including the internet or a cloud computing service, from a location other than where the item is physically located if the Secretary determines that the use of the item could pose a serious risk to the national security or foreign policy of the United States. Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to lower the requisite mens rea required to be proven for criminal liability under section 1760.''. (2) In section 1752 (50 U.S.C. 4811)-- (A) in paragraph (1)-- (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or remote access of such items'' after ``export of items''; and (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or remote access of such items'' after ``export of items''; and (B) in paragraph (2)-- (i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ``and in-country transfer of items'' and inserting ``in- country transfer, and remote access of items''; and (ii) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``or remote access'' after ``the release''. (3) In section 1753 (50 U.S.C. 4812)-- (A) in subsection (a)-- (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end; (ii) in paragraph (2)(F), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: ``(3) the remote access of items subject to the jurisdiction of the United States by a foreign person.''; (B) in subsection (b)-- (i) in paragraph (6), by striking ``and'' at the end; (ii) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (iii) by adding at the end the following: ``(8) regulate the remote access of items described in subsection (a)(3).''; and (C) in subsection (c)-- (i) by striking ``or in-country transfer'' each place it appears and inserting ``in-country transfer, or remote access''; and (ii) by striking ``subsections (b)(1) or (b)(2)'' and inserting ``subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(8)''. (4) In section 1754 (50 U.S.C. 4813)-- (A) in subsection (a)-- (i) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and in-country transfers'' and inserting ``in-country transfers, and remote access''; (ii) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and in-country transfers'' and inserting ``in-country transfers, and remote access''; (iii) in paragraph (5), by striking ``and in-country transfers'' and inserting ``in-country transfers, and remote access''; (iv) in paragraph (6), by striking ``United States export control'' and inserting ``United States control''; (v) in paragraph (7), by striking ``export controls'' and inserting ``controls''; (vi) in paragraph (10), by striking ``or in-country transferred'' and inserting ``in-country transferred or accessed remotely''; (vii) in paragraph (11), by adding at the end before the semicolon the following: ``or remote access''; and (viii) in paragraph (15), by adding at the end before ``; and'' the following: ``or remotely access (including the provision thereof)''; (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, or remote access''; and (C) in subsection (d)(1)(A), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, or remote access (including the provision thereof)''. (5) In section 1755 (50 U.S.C. 4814)-- (A) in subsection (b)(2)-- (i) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and in-country transfers'' and inserting ``in-country transfers, and remote access (including the provision thereof)''; and (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking ``and in-country transfers'' and inserting ``in-country transfers, and remote access (including the provision thereof)''; and (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``export controls'' and inserting ``controls''. (6) In section 1756 (50 U.S.C. 4815)-- (A) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ``and in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, and remote access''; and (B) in subsection (b), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, or provide remote access to''. (7) In section 1757 (50 U.S.C. 4816)-- (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, or remote access''; and (B) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``export controls'' and inserting ``controls''. (8) In section 1760 (50 U.S.C. 4819)-- (A) in subsection (a)(2)(F)-- (i) in clause (ii), by striking ``any export control document or any report'' and inserting ``any document or report''; and (ii) in clause (iii), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, or remote access''; (B) in subsection (c)(1)(C), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer, or remotely access (including the provision thereof)''; and (C) in subsection (e)(1)(A)-- (i) in clause (i), by striking ``or in-country transfer outside the United States any item'' and inserting ``in- country transfer outside the United States any item or remotely access any item (or provide such access)''; and (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer of items, or provide remote access to items''. (9) In section 1761 (50 U.S.C. 4820)-- (A) in subsection (a)(5), by striking ``or in-country transferred'' and inserting ``in-country transferred, or remotely accessed''; and (B) in subsection (h)(1)(B), by striking ``or in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in-country transfer of items, or provide remote access to items''. (10) In section 1767(b)(2)(A) (50 U.S.C. 4825(b)(2)(A)), by striking ``and in-country transfer'' and inserting ``in- country transfer, or remote access''. SEC. 3. CONSULTATION WITH CONGRESS. (a) In General.--The Secretary of Commerce shall ensure that the appropriate congressional committees are kept fully and [[Page H622]] currently informed of any anticipated promulgation of regulations to control the remote access of items under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018, as amended by section 2, including ensuring such committees are informed, in a classified setting as necessary, on-- (1) the national security risk that would be addressed by the regulations; (2) how the method of the regulations addresses the national security risk; and (3) how the regulations may impact the economy of the United States. (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed to require the approval of the appropriate congressional committees as a condition precedent to the exercise of an authority under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018, as amended by section 2. (c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means-- (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Lawler) and the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Amo) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York. General Leave Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. LAWLER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Remote Access Security Act. Mr. Speaker, export controls exist to limit critical technology developed in the U.S. from falling into the hands of our adversaries. Export controls are a major tool of the administration to protect sensitive tech and bolster our own national security, and these rules have never been more timely or important as China seeks to enhance their chip and AI development. Unfortunately, there is a major loophole in our export control regime. As the laws and regulations are written, physical export controls do not apply to remote access of items. This means that still to this day, the CCP can access our tech through the cloud and utilize it for their own malicious purposes. Our export controls are only as strong as the weakest link, and right now, the CCP has a real tool to sidestep these prohibitions. We need action now. My bill defines ``remote access'' and adds remote access provisions into existing law. It provides the Commerce Department with the authority to regulate controlled items through the cloud and finally close this loophole. The Remote Access Security Act received unanimous support in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs during markup, passing with a bipartisan vote of 51-0. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Mast, as well as my bipartisan co- leads, Speaker Johnson, and Leader Scalise for helping to move this bill to the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I ur

Referenced legislation: HR2683, HR2683