The U.S. Senate on May 20 approved bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) to create a whistleblower incentive program focused on curbing illegal exports of semiconductors, and has sent the measure to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
“I look forward to working with our colleagues in the House to get this important legislation through Congress and to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law,” said Sen. Rounds, who in April 2025 sponsored the Stop Stealing our Chips Act, S. 1473, alongside lead cosponsor U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA).
If enacted, the bill would amend the Export Control Reform Act to create a whistleblower incentive program at the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) designed to increase reporting of illegal exports and to prevent the smuggling of American-made semiconductors into China.
“I am pleased that the Stop Stealing our Chips Act has passed the Senate,” Sen. Rounds said. “The United States has taken extensive measures to prevent American-made semiconductors from falling into the wrong hands, particularly China; however, China continues to smuggle these chips into their country.”
As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) continues to accelerate, he pointed out that this creates “a grave national security concern.”
“Our legislation would strengthen BIS’s export control enforcement by rewarding whistleblowers with credible information on illegal actions to come forward,” said Sen....
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