U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) re-introduced legislation this week that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Transportation from using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology.
The legislation is aimed at preventing the department from using technology that would give China access to 3-D imaging of the country through the digital 3-D mapping technology. LiDAR creates 3-D maps with millimeter-level data of surrounding environments.
“LiDAR technology creates incredibly detailed maps of its surroundings. Allowing our adversaries like China to have access to these maps of critical infrastructure like ports, railways, airports, roads, and bridges could allow them to disrupt our supply chains and cause a national security crisis,” Johnson, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, said. “My bill ensures our nation’s critical infrastructure is protected from the malign interests of the Chinese Communist Party.”
Johnson’s bill, the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act is co-sponsored by U.S. Reps. John Moolenaar (R-MI), chair of the Select Committee on China; Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), ranking member of the committee; and Julia Brownley (D-CA).
“Taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund technology from our adversaries,” Moolenaar said. “This bill makes America’s critical infrastructure more secure from foreign surveillance and influence by ensuring the Department of Transportation is not supporting the growing market share of Chinese-made LiDAR equipment. It’s a common-sense step to put American security first.”
The legislation would prohibit the Transportation Secretary from entering into or extending any contract that uses LiDAR, and from procuring or obtaining any LiDAR technology. The secretary may obtain waivers to the prohibition on a case-by-case basis, the legislation states, provided that the secretary submit appeals to the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the House.