Jensen Huang Scandal Gives Chip Export Hawks New Momentum In Congress

Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. (Image: X)

The scandal around Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is hurting the company where it can least afford it: in Congress. Lawmakers say the revelation that Huang had an affair with an alleged Chinese spy has made it much more likely that new limits on chip sales to China will become law this year.

The restrictions could ride on the National Defense Authorization Act, a must-pass defense package. Senior House and Senate lawmakers returned this week from midterm campaigning and are now working out its details.

For more than a year, Nvidia lobbied hard to water down export control proposals. Its argument, shared by its allies, is that selling powerful chips to China is key to American leadership in the artificial intelligence race. A bipartisan group of lawmakers sees it differently and says that access is a national security risk.

According to Politico, lawmakers, congressional aides and lobbyists close to the debate all say the scandal has shifted the odds against the company. Alice Huang, the woman at the center of the affair, is accused of being a Chinese spy.

Speaker Mike Johnson told Politico he supports putting export controls in the legislation. House Minority…

Original source: https://www.timesnownews.com/world