Baldwin, Budd Lead Bipartisan Bill to Prevent DOT from Using Technologies China Uses to Spy on America
WASHINGTON, D.C.– U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ted Budd (R-NC) introduced the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act. This bipartisan legislation would prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from purchasing or deploying light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technologies from malign foreign actors, including China, that could be used for military or industrial espionage.
“We cannot allow our adversaries like China to get their hands on Americans’ sensitive data. Period. I’m proud to work with Republicans and Democrats to cut off potential avenues for countries like China to surveil us and our infrastructure and keep Wisconsin families, servicemembers, and communities safe from foreign threats,” said Senator Baldwin.
In recent years, LiDAR sensors have become a critical technology for automation and surveillance applications used in U.S. infrastructure, including: autonomous vehicles, smart city systems, border security, and perimeter defense.
Chinese LiDAR deployed in the U.S. collects vast amounts of data on American geography and behavior, enabling Chinese military companies to acquire sensitive information and highly detailed mapping of U.S. infrastructure. In 2024, a Chinese spy ring was caught using LiDAR sensors to map Philippine and U.S. military installations and homeland security operations.
Section 164 of the FY25 NDAA prohibited the Department of Defense (DoD) from operating, procuring, or utilizing LiDAR technologies from certain foreign countries, including China. However, DOT currently has no restrictions on the purchase or use of LiDAR from China.
Specifically, the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act would prohibit the DOT from:
- Procuring LiDAR produced or provided by a covered LiDAR company.
- Contracting with entities using LiDAR from a covered LiDAR company.
- Providing loans or grants to entities using LiDAR from a covered company.
Covered LiDAR companies include:
- Any entity on the Consolidated Screening List maintained by the International Trade Administration of the Department of Commerce.
- Any entity designated as a Chinese military company on the 1260H list by the Department of Defense
In addition to Senators Baldwin and Budd, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).
The Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act is endorsed by the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).
“AUVSI commends Senator Budd and cosponsors Senators Baldwin, Cotton, and Blunt Rochester for their leadership on the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act of 2026. Alongside its companion bill in the House, this legislation takes a critical step toward protecting America’s transportation networks and infrastructure from adversarial risk. As LiDAR becomes increasingly central to autonomous transportation systems, securing trusted sources for this technology is essential to our national and economic security,” said Michael Robbins, President and CEO of AUVSI.
Full text of the bill is available here.
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