American Security Robotics Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Tom Cotton
Introduced
Summary
Would prohibit executive agencies from procuring or operating unmanned ground vehicle systems tied to covered foreign entities. It would also bar federal funds for those purchases and uses, while allowing narrow exemptions for four agencies that meet strict national-security conditions.
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- Federal agencies would be barred from acquiring or operating covered unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) systems, including contracts for services, and the funding ban would apply to contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other federal funds starting one year after enactment.
- Manufacturers and suppliers tied to covered foreign entities would see their UGVs treated as "covered unmanned ground vehicle systems" if manufactured or assembled by such entities, which would block federal procurement or operation of those systems.
- The Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense, Department of State, and Department of Justice could exempt activities only when they are in the national interest and solely for specified research, testing, training, analysis, counterterrorism, counterintelligence, protective missions, or forensic and investigative work, or when the UGV cannot transfer data to a covered foreign entity and poses no national cybersecurity risk as determined by the agency head.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Ban on federal ground robots
This bill would bar executive agencies from buying covered unmanned ground vehicle systems upon enactment. It would also bar agencies from operating those covered systems and using federal funds for them starting one year after enactment. A "covered" system would mean a ground-capable robot (for example, remote surveillance vehicles, autonomous patrol tech, mobile robotics, or humanoid robots), its payload, and any external control device, if the system was manufactured or assembled by a covered foreign entity. The ban would include use through contracts for services. Exemptions in the bill may allow limited uses.
Narrow exemptions for security agencies
If enacted, the bill would let only four agency heads (Homeland Security, Defense, State, and Justice) allow covered systems when it is in the national interest. They would be able to allow them only if the sole purpose is narrow research, testing, training, evaluation, cybersecurity or counter-unmanned ground vehicle work, or for counter-terrorism, counterintelligence, protective missions, or federal criminal or national security investigations (including forensic exams). Alternately, they could allow a system if, before use, it is modified so it cannot transfer or download data to a covered foreign entity and the agency head finds no national security cybersecurity risk. These exemption rules would take effect upon enactment.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Tom Cotton
AR • R
Cosponsors
Charles Schumer
NY • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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