H.R. 7121: Securing Federal Devices from Chinese Applications Act

H.R. 7121 sets one rule for the entire executive branch: no "covered application" may be downloaded or used on a federal government device. That reach includes every executive department, the military departments, government corporations, independent regulatory agencies, and the Executive Office of the President itself. The governments of the District of Columbia and the U.S. territories are specifically excluded.

What makes an app "covered" is an ownership test, not a name. An app qualifies if it's developed, owned, or controlled by an entity headquartered in China, by an entity the Chinese government or Communist Party controls, or by any parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of one. On top of that, the Secretary of Defense can flag any app that poses an undue national security risk because of Chinese ownership, control, or influence — even without a direct ownership link.

The bill runs on deadlines. Within 180 days of enactment, the Office of Management and Budget — working with Homeland Security, the Pentagon, and the Director of National Intelligence — must issue guidance on how the banned-app list gets built, then refresh that guidance every 180 days. Within 270 days, each agency must publish its own rules for exceptions. And once an app lands on the list, agencies have 60 days to get it off every federal device.

There is one escape valve: an agency head can permit controlled access to a covered app when it's needed for a research or intelligence function required by law. Even then, the exception rules must include cybersecurity safeguards and documented risk mitigation. The bill carries no dollar figure, no grant program, and no penalties — compliance runs entirely through OMB guidance and each agency's own implementation.