S1053-119

In Committee

FIGHT China Act of 2025

119th Congress Introduced Mar 13, 2025

Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.

Summary

What This Bill Does

This bill creates a comprehensive framework to restrict U.S. investments in Chinese companies working on sensitive technologies. It authorizes $150 million for Treasury and Commerce to implement outbound investment screening, prohibits U.S. persons from investing in Chinese entities developing advanced semiconductors, AI systems, quantum computing, and hypersonic weapons, and requires notifications for investments in less sensitive but still concerning technologies. The bill also authorizes sanctions against Chinese companies in defense and surveillance sectors.

Who Benefits and How

U.S. national security interests benefit from reduced technology transfer to China. Domestic semiconductor manufacturers, AI developers, and quantum computing companies may face less Chinese competition funded by U.S. capital. Treasury and Commerce receive significant new appropriations ($150M) and hiring authority (15+ positions). U.S. allies developing similar investment screening regimes gain a coordination partner.

Who Bears the Burden and How

U.S. investors (venture capital, private equity, hedge funds) face new prohibitions and notification requirements for China investments, with civil penalties up to $250,000 or 2x transaction value. U.S. companies with China operations face compliance costs and potential divestment orders. Chinese technology companies lose access to U.S. capital. Law firms and compliance consultants see increased demand but clients bear the costs.

Key Provisions

  • Prohibits U.S. person investments in Chinese companies developing advanced semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, and hypersonic systems
  • Requires notification to Treasury within 30 days for investments in notifiable (less sensitive) technologies
  • Authorizes sanctions (asset blocking) against Chinese companies in defense and surveillance sectors
  • Civil penalties up to $250,000 or 2x transaction value for violations
  • Appropriates $150 million and allows hiring of 15+ staff to implement the program

Evidence Chain:

This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.

At a Glance

What This Bill Does

Restricts U.S. person investments in Chinese companies involved in prohibited technologies including advanced semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, and hypersonic systems through sanctions, notification requirements, and outright prohibitions

Key Policy Areas

National Security, Foreign Investment, Technology, Trade

Primary Purpose

Restricts U.S. person investments in Chinese companies involved in prohibited technologies including advanced semiconductors, AI, quantum computing, and hypersonic systems through sanctions, notification requirements, and outright prohibitions

Policy Domains

National Security Foreign Investment Technology Trade

Title I - Sanctions

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • U.S. national security interests
  • U.S. domestic technology competitors
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Chinese defense and surveillance companies
  • U.S. investors in sanctioned entities
  • Financial institutions with compliance obligations
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Title II - Investment Prohibitions and Notifications

Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • Treasury and Commerce departments (new authority/funding)
  • U.S. domestic semiconductor and AI companies
  • Compliance law firms and consultants
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
  • U.S. venture capital and private equity firms
  • U.S. institutional investors
  • Chinese technology companies
  • U.S. companies with China joint ventures
Model: N/A | Version: bill_summary_v2 | Source: is

Contextual inference, no direct clause citation

Legislative Progress

In Committee
Introduced Committee Passed
Mar 13, 2025

Mr. Cornyn (for himself, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Scott of …

Mar 13, 2025

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, …

Mar 13, 2025

Introduced in Senate

Stakeholder Effects

cui bono?

How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.

Government
9 mentions across 5 clauses
+4 positive -5 negative

Allied governments developing similar mechanisms, Commerce Department, Department of Commerce

Positive-direction: Allied governments developing similar mechanisms, Department of Commerce, Department of the Treasury, Federal employees hired under expedited authority

Negative-direction: Commerce Department, State Department, Treasury Department, Treasury OFAC

Manufacturing
6 mentions across 5 clauses
-6 negative

Advanced semiconductor companies in China, Chinese companies potentially listed, Chinese companies potentially subject to listing

Other Financial Investment Activities
4 mentions across 3 clauses
+1 positive -3 negative

U.S. investors seeking compliance guidance, U.S. persons making notifiable investments, U.S. private equity firms with China investments

Positive-direction: U.S. investors seeking compliance guidance

Negative-direction: U.S. persons making notifiable investments, U.S. private equity firms with China investments, U.S. venture capital firms investing in China

Financial Services
3 mentions across 2 clauses
-3 negative

Financial institutions with compliance obligations, U.S. institutional investors, U.S. investors holding interests in sanctioned entities

Custom Computer Programming Services
1 mention across 1 clause
-1 negative

Chinese AI companies

Professional Services
1 mention across 1 clause
+1 positive

U.S. compliance law firms

Portfolio Management
1 mention across 1 clause
-1 negative

Investment managers with China exposure

13/16
sections analyzed
Full impact breakdown

Bill Structure & Actor Mappings

Who is "The Secretary" in each section?

Domains
National Security Sanctions
Actor Mappings
"the_president"
→ President of the United States
"the_secretary"
→ Secretary of the Treasury
Domains
Foreign Investment Technology National Security
Actor Mappings
"the_secretary"
→ Secretary of the Treasury

Key Definitions

Terms defined in this bill

4 terms
"covered foreign person" §102(c)

A foreign person incorporated in, with principal place of business in, or organized under laws of China (including Hong Kong/Macau), owned 50%+ by Chinese entities, or subject to Chinese government direction/control, that knowingly engages in defense or surveillance technology sectors

"country of concern" §102(d)

The People's Republic of China, including Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Macau Special Administrative Region

"notifiable technology" §201-notifiable

Less advanced semiconductors, AI systems for military/surveillance use, and other technologies not meeting prohibited thresholds but still posing national security concerns

"prohibited technology" §201-prohibited

Advanced semiconductors (sub-16nm logic, 128+ layer NAND, sub-18nm DRAM), AI models trained with 10^25+ FLOPs, quantum computers, hypersonic systems, and EUV lithography equipment

We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.

Learn more about our methodology