House panel advances AI Overwatch Act giving Congress veto over AI chip exports to China

The House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 42-2-1 to advance the AI Overwatch Act, sponsored by Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL). The bill creates a 30-day congressional review window — modeled after arms sales oversight — allowing Congress to block executive-branch decisions to export advanced AI chips to adversaries like China, Russia, and Iran. It designates the most advanced chips as 'restricted integrated circuits' with a mandatory denial requirement. The bill responded to the Trump administration reversing Biden-era presumption of denial for Nvidia H200 chips to China.