HR 1151 United States House · 118th Congress

USA Act

This bill directs the U.S. government to develop diplomatic strategies with allies to counter China's surveillance balloon program, including sharing intelligence about balloon violations and coordinating international responses. It requires the Commerce Department to evaluate export controls on aerospace technologies linked to China's military surveillance and mandates a report on these controls within 180 days. The bill also authorizes sanctions against Chinese officials managing the balloon program, including property blocking and visa restrictions, starting 180 days after enactment. These measures target China's global surveillance efforts and aim to protect U.S. airspace sovereignty through diplomatic, economic, and regulatory tools.

Issues: ✓ Technology

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2023

Committee Review

Apr 2023

House Passage

Apr 2023

Senate Passage

President

Introduced Feb 24, 2023 Last action Apr 18, 2023

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced in House → Engrossed in House · 3 edits · Apr 17, 2023

MINOR

The Engrossed version of HR 1151 adds three substantive provisions: a requirement for the U.S. to support Taiwan's participation in ICAO events, a classified DoD briefing on unidentified flying objects that entered U.S. airspace since January 2017, and an explicit exclusion of goods importation from the bill's sanctions authority. The remaining changes are formatting (indentation) adjustments.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded in two directions: it now covers all unidentified flying objects entering U.S. airspace (not just PRC surveillance balloons) via the new DoD briefing requirement, and it adds a pro-Taiwan diplomatic objective at ICAO. Simultaneously, the sanctions section was narrowed by explicitly excluding goods importation from the available sanctions tools.

SCOPE

A new item was inserted as the first action in the diplomatic strategy section requiring the U.S. to use its voice at the International Civil Aviation Organization to support Taiwan's participation in that body's events and meetings. This expands the bill beyond PRC surveillance balloons to include a pro-Taiwan diplomatic objective.

REQUIREMENT

A new subsection (c) requires the Department of Defense to provide a classified briefing to congressional committees on other Unidentified Flying Objects that entered U.S. airspace from January 20, 2017 through the date of enactment. This broadens the bill's scope beyond PRC balloons to all UFO/UAP incidents.

ELIGIBILITY

A new subsection (d) in the sanctions section explicitly states that the sanctions authority does not include the power to impose sanctions on the importation of goods, defining 'good' as any article, natural or man-made substance, material, supply or manufactured product including inspection and test equipment, but excluding technical data. This narrows the scope of available sanctions.

Floor votes · House Apr 17, 2023

How they voted

405–6

Passed · 23 other

Total votes 434

Apr 17, 2023

D Democratic213

193 Yea 4 Nay 16

90% Yea

I Independent1

1 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican220

211 Yea 2 Nay 7

95% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 18, 2023

Committee

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

upper

Apr 17, 2023

Introduced

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 - 6 (Roll no. 183). (text: CR H1735-1736)

lower

Apr 17, 2023

Lower · Passed

Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 405 - 6 (Roll no. 183). (text: CR H1735-1736)

lower

Apr 17, 2023

Introduced

Mr. Mast moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.

lower

Feb 28, 2023

Introduced

Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.

lower

Feb 28, 2023

Lower · Passed

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

lower

Feb 24, 2023

Committee

Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

lower

Feb 24, 2023

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 3 co-sponsors