Congressman for Semiconductor Ban on Dies from TSMC

[ABS News Service/11.08.2026]

House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-Mich) is calling on the Commerce Department to enforce the Biden Administration’s semiconductor foundry export controls.

In a letter to Commerce Undersecretary for Industry and Security Jeffrey Kessler, Rep. Moolenaar urged that BIS make it clear that the Foundry Due Diligence Rule remains in effect.

In May 2025, BIS said it would not enforce the Biden Administration’s AI Diffusion Rule, While the chairman said he agrees with the decision, the announcement “created ambiguity as to whether front-end fabricators like TSMC can export unpackaged advanced dies to non-approved designers located outside of China, without performing the due diligence specified in the Foundry Due Diligence Interim Final Rule.

This lack of clarity enabled China’s Huawei to obtain millions of controlled Ascend logic dies from TSMC, using its front company, Sophgo in 2023 and 2024, the lawmaker said.