Department of Commerce Seeks Bigger Budget for Export Controls Bureau

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has called for more funding to compete with China on technology.

At the Reagan Defense Forum in California, she singled out the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, the entity responsible for export controls, DefenseNews reported.

Raimondo pointed out that the bureau’s budget has stayed at $200 million for a decade despite a significant increase in restrictions on China. In an interview with DefenseNews, she explained that her organization is working to prevent the peer adversary from accessing high-end chips used to train military artificial intelligence.

According to Raimondo, the Commerce Department component has not been able to grow its workforce even though it is now processing double the number of license requests it did 10 years ago.

A lack of personnel in the department has led to optional consultations with Pentagon subject matter experts becoming necessary, former defense officials said. Such meetings cover AI, microelectronics and other national security concerns.