PRIA Logo™
Title 10 — Armed ForcesRelease 119-83

§4663 Prohibition on Contracting with Covered Entities That Contract with Lobbyists for Chinese Military Companies

Title 10 › Subtitle Subtitle A— General Military Law › Part V— ACQUISITION › Subpart H— Contract Management › Chapter 363— PROHIBITION AND PENALTIES › § 4663

Last updated Apr 18, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary of Defense must not sign a contract with a company, its parent, or a subsidiary if that company has a contract with a covered lobbyist. The rule does not apply if the company made reasonable checks and found the other party was not a covered lobbyist. The Secretary can waive the rule after telling Congress. covered lobbyist — a lobbyist who works for a Chinese military company listed under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry NDAA for FY2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note). lobbying activities — the meaning given in section 1045(c) of the NDAA for FY2018 (10 U.S.C. 971 note prec.).

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §4663

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Except as provided in subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense may not enter into a contract with an entity, a parent company of such entity, or a subsidiary of such entity if such entity is a party to a contract with a covered lobbyist.
(b)The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to an entity that made reasonable inquires regarding the lobbying activities of another entity and determined such entity was not a covered lobbyist.
(c)Upon notification to Congress, the Secretary of Defense may waive the requirements of this section.
(d)In this section:
(1)The term “covered lobbyist” means an entity that engages in lobbying activities for any entity determined to be a Chinese military company listed in accordance with section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (10 U.S.C. 113 note).
(2)The term “lobbying activities” has the meaning given in section 1045(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (10 U.S.C. 971 note prec.).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, referred to in subsec. (d)(1), is section 1260H of Pub. L. 116–283, which is set out as a note under section 113 of this title. section 1045(c) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is section 1045(c) of Pub. L. 115–91, which is set out in a note preceding section 971 of this title.

Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 inserted “if such entity” before “is a party”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title VIII, § 851(b), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 1995, provided that: “This section [enacting this section] and the

Amendments

made by this section shall take effect on June 30, 2026.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 4663

Title 10 — Armed Forces

Last Updated

Apr 18, 2026

Release point: 119-83