U.S. allies could more easily procure American cyber and digital technologies under bipartisan legislation introduced May 19 by two senators seeking to strengthen technology partnerships with foreign partners.
The U.S. Technology Procurement and Access to Trusted Hardware Act (U.S. Tech PATH Act) led by Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., would create a U.S. Technology Procurement Program at the State Department. The program would provide a “comprehensive package” to participating foreign governments, including consultation, financial incentives, and strategic planning.
The bill would require the department to establish or designate an office to oversee the new technology procurement program, including staffing for implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, according to a press release. It would authorize $500 million in funding through 2031 to support program implementation.
If enacted, the legislation would create a new pathway for foreign partners to access U.S. cyber and digital capabilities while supporting broader administration efforts to expand exports of American artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and compete with China in emerging technology markets.
“In the 21st century, economic and national security is increasingly defined by a nation’s ability to adopt and deploy cyber and related technologies,” Shaheen said in a statement. “America’s adversaries like China understand this, which means we need to think seriously about how we can deliver these capabilities to foreign partners seeking U.S. support … This legislation sends a message to the world: the United States will compete on technology, and we can offer a better deal.”
Ricketts added that “Across the world, there is a clear demand from allies and partners for more access to U.S. technology … This will reduce vulnerabilities from foreign adversaries and ensure U.S. and allied tech supremacy.”
In addition to creating the technology procurement program, the bill would:
- Expand cyber expertise at U.S. missions abroad to support allied technology partnerships
- Extend the State Department’s diplomatic technology Regional Technology Officer program for five years
- Support small-business participation in U.S. tech exports
Ricketts noted that the U.S. Tech PATH Act would also support the Trump administration’s full American AI tech stack export initiative launched last year. The initiative comes from the AI Action Plan, which called on the departments of Commerce and State to partner with industry to provide secure, full-stack AI export packages to American allies.
The Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration is already overseeing a selection process for industry-led export packages that would be promoted globally.
The new legislation would build on those efforts and others by creating a more formalized procurement and financing framework for allied technology partnerships.
According to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the legislation is modeled in part on existing defense procurement programs used by foreign partners to acquire U.S. military equipment and related technologies.