Johnson backs tighter China chip export limits

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said November 12 that support in Congress was growing for limiting exports of advanced chips to China, adding his backing to a debate over tighter controls in the fiscal 2027 defense authorization bill. No new restrictions have been enacted, and the bill’s final language remains unsettled.

Johnson told reporters at the Capitol that he favored limiting China’s access to advanced chip technology. Lawmakers from both parties have called for stronger controls, with proposals addressing exports of processors, tracking their location and restricting sales or servicing of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

Among the measures under discussion are the AI Overwatch Act, which would expand congressional oversight of advanced chip exports, and the Chip Security Act, which would require tracking of advanced processors. The MATCH Act seeks to align controls on semiconductor equipment with U.S. allies. A further proposal, the Remote Access Security Act, would give the Commerce Department tools to restrict Chinese firms’ access to Nvidia-powered computing capacity through overseas data centers. The proposals differ in scope, and their inclusion in the final...