November 20, 2025
Mr. Cassidy (for himself and Mr. Coons) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
To reduce the risk to the national security of the United States posed by humanoid robots produced in certain countries, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Humanoid Robotics Oversight and Blocking of Obtainment from Totalitarians Act of 2025
or the Humanoid ROBOT Act of 2025
.
Sec. 2. Definitions
In this Act:
(1) Artificial intelligence
The term artificial intelligence has the meaning given that term in section 5002 of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 (15 U.S.C. 9401).
(2) Country of concern
The term country of concern has the meaning given the term covered nation in section 4872 of title 10, United States Code.
(3) Covered entity
The term covered entity means—
(A)
the government of a country of concern;
(B)
a political party of a country of concern;
(C)
a foreign entity of concern (as defined in section 9901 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (15 U.S.C. 4651));
(D)
an entity identified by the Secretary of Defense under section 1260H(a) of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283; 10 U.S.C. 113 note) as a Chinese military company operating directly or indirectly in the United States;
(E)
an entity with its headquarters located in, organized under the laws of, or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of, a country of concern; or
(F)
an entity owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, an entity described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (E).
(4) Executive agency
The term executive agency has the meaning given that term in section 133 of title 41, United States Code.
(5) Humanoid robot
The term humanoid robot means an autonomous or semi-autonomous machine that—
(A)
uses integrated artificial intelligence systems;
(B)
possesses a body structure that simulates the human form, including a head, torso, arms, and legs, or any configuration that resembles a human silhouette;
(C)
is capable of performing tasks associated with human activities; and
(D)
can communicate interactively, using natural language processing to understand verbal or written commands.
Sec. 3. Prohibitions on Government contracting relating to humanoid robots from covered entities
(a) Prohibition on purchases by executive agencies
The head of an executive agency may not enter into or renew a contract to procure or otherwise obtain a humanoid robot designed, tested, developed, or manufactured by a covered entity.
(b) Prohibition on use by contractors
A person awarded a contract by an executive agency may not use a humanoid robot designed, tested, developed, or manufactured by a covered entity to fulfill, execute, or otherwise support carrying out the contract.
(c) Waiver
The Secretary of Defense may waive a prohibition under subsection (a) or (b) with respect to the purchase or use of a humanoid robot if using the robot is required for the completion of objectives related to national security or for research purposes.
(d) Effective date
The prohibitions under subsections (a) and (b) shall apply on and after the date that is180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e) Regulations
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall amend the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement the prohibitions under subsections (a) and (b), including by establishing a requirement for prime contractors to incorporate the substance of such prohibitions and applicable implementing contract clauses into contracts relating to humanoid robots.
Sec. 4. Review by Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States of investments in production of humanoid robot technologies
(a) In general
Section 721(a)(4) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565(a)(4)) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (A)—
(A)
in clause (i), by striking ; and
and inserting a semicolon;
(B)
in clause (ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(iii)
any transaction described in subparagraph (B)(vi) proposed or pending on or after the date of the enactment of the Humanoid Robotics Oversight and Blocking of Obtainment from Totalitarians Act of 2025.;
(2)
in subparagraph (B), by adding at the end the following:
(vi)
Any other investment, subject to regulations prescribed under subparagraph (D)—
(I)
in a United States business that designs, tests, develops, or manufactures humanoid robots (as defined in section 2 of the Humanoid Robotics Oversight and Blocking of Obtainment from Totalitarians Act of 2025);
(II)
by—
(aa)
an entity organized under the laws of, or otherwise subject to the jurisdiction of, a covered nation (as defined in section 4872 of title 10, United States Code); or
(bb)
an entity owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, an entity described in item (aa); and
(III)
without regard to whether the investment results in control of the United States business by an entity described in subclause (II).; and
(3)
in subparagraph (D)—
(A)
in clause (i), in the matter preceding subclause (I)—
(i)
by striking subparagraph (B)(iii)
and inserting clauses (iii) and (vi) of subparagraph (B)
; and
(ii)
by striking that subparagraph
and inserting that clause
;
(B)
in clause (iii)(I), by striking subparagraph (B)(iii)
and inserting clauses (iii) and (vi) of subparagraph (B)
; and
(C)
in clause (iv)(I), in the matter preceding item (aa)—
(i)
by striking in subparagraph (B)(iii)
and inserting in clause (iii) or (vi) of subparagraph (B)
; and
(ii)
by striking of subparagraph (B)(iii)
and inserting of such clauses
.
(b) Mandatory filing of declarations
Section 721(b)(1)(C)(v)(IV)(bb) of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565(b)(1)(C)(v)(IV)(bb)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(DD) Investments in humanoid robots
The parties to a covered transaction described in subsection (a)(4)(B)(vi) shall submit a declaration described in subclause (I) with respect to the transaction.
Sec. 5. Report on national security threats posed by humanoid robots
(a) In general
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the committees specified in subsection (c) a detailed report on the threats to the national security of the United States posed by the development and use of humanoid robots for both civilian and military purposes in countries of concern.
(b) Elements
The report required by subsection (a) shall include the following:
(1)
An analysis of—
(A)
the economic infrastructure and manufacturing ecosystem for humanoid robots in the People's Republic of China and other countries of concern; and
(B)
military-civil fusion efforts, and other efforts, of the People’s Liberation Army relating to humanoid robots.
(2)
An analysis of how the circumvention of United States export controls and the theft of intellectual property or proprietary information of United States persons has contributed or could contribute to the development of humanoid robots in countries of concern.
(3)
Recommendations to improve such export controls.
(4)
An analysis of the privacy and data security threats relating to the use of data of United States persons obtained through humanoid robots, including—
(A)
how the data might be stored, including whether the data is stored within the humanoid robot or on cloud infrastructure; and
(B)
how the data is accessed by the government of a country of concern.
(5)
An analysis of the threat that data obtained through humanoid robots designed, tested, developed, or manufactured by covered entities poses with respect to economic espionage.
(6)
Recommendations for administrative and legislative action to address national security risks posed to the United States by humanoid robots designed, tested, developed, or manufactured by covered entities.
(7)
Any other information considered relevant by the Secretary.
(c) Committees specified
The committees specified in this subsection are—
(1)
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate, and Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; and
(2)
the Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.
(d) Form
The report required by subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex.