GUARD Act of 2026

The Guarding the U.S. against Adversarial Robotics Dominance Act of 2026, or GUARD Act, establishes a process for national security agencies to evaluate certain robotics communications equipment and services. Its primary goal is to identify and mitigate potential national security risks posed by humanoid and quadruped robotics communications equipment or services originating from "covered foreign entities." This includes robots with two or four articulated limbs that operate autonomously or semi-autonomously, as well as their controlling software.

Under the bill, an appropriate national security agency must determine within one year whether such equipment or services pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security or the safety of U.S. persons. If an unacceptable risk is found, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must add the equipment or service to its covered list within 30 days, and the agency must report to Congress. If no determination is made within the one-year timeframe, all covered robotics communications equipment or services will be automatically placed on the FCC's covered list.

Conversely, if an agency determines no unacceptable risk, it must report this finding to Congress and other national security agencies for review. The legislation defines a "covered foreign entity" as one headquartered in, organized under the laws of, or subject to the influence of a country of concern, including its affiliates or partners. Importantly, the bill explicitly states that it does not apply to countries that are not countries of concern, such as NATO allies, focusing its scope on specific adversarial threats.