A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers, led by House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), has introduced the Guarding the U.S. Against Adversarial Robotics Dominance (GUARD) Act of 2026—legislation that could fundamentally reshape the global humanoid robotics supply chain.
What the GUARD Act Does
The bill mandates that national security agencies evaluate all humanoid and quadruped robots manufactured by foreign adversaries—specifically China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Any platform or control software deemed to pose an "unacceptable risk" would be added to the FCC Covered List, effectively banning its importation, sale, and operation within U.S. borders. Crucially, any adversary-produced robot not actively reviewed within one year would be automatically added to the ban list.
"Robots made by China are a threat to national security, critical infrastructure, and American workers," Chairman Moolenaar stated, citing concerns over hidden digital backdoors that could be exploited for espionage. The bill has already secured endorsements from Agility Robotics, AUVSI, and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
NVIDIA-Unitree Collision
The timing of the GUARD Act is particularly striking: it was introduced on June 3, just two days after NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang unveiled the Isaac GR00T Reference Humanoid Robot built on Unitree's H2 Plus chassis at GTC Taipei. If passed, the very hardware NVIDIA has standardized for next-generation physical AI research could become illegal to import into the United States.
Industry Implications
The legislation represents a major escalation from previous efforts like the American Security Robotics Act, which only restricted federal procurement. The GUARD Act targets the entire commercial market. For Unitree, which generated 73.6% of its revenue from U.S. and Western academic institutions in 2025, the impact could be severe. For American research labs that rely on affordable Chinese hardware platforms, it could create an immediate vacuum—no U.S. humanoid manufacturer currently sells robots at comparable scale and price points on the open commercial market.
Agility Robotics CEO Peggy Johnson endorsed the bill, stating it "sends an important market signal as U.S. robotics companies continue investing in resilient supply chains, domestic manufacturing capabilities, and trusted technologies."
