Miyares joins letter urging Congress to ban DeepSeek on government devices
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined 20 other attorneys general in writing Congress a letter urging them to pass the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act.”
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The Rundown
Virginia seeks more data, transparency on public school air quality.
Miyares joins letter urging Congress to ban DeepSeek on government devices.
Miyares joins letter urging Congress to ban DeepSeek on government devices
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares joined 20 other attorneys general in writing Congress a letter urging them to pass the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act.”
The legislation would prohibit government devices from downloading and using the China-based DeepSeek artificial intelligence software.
In a letter sent to congressional leadership Thursday, the attorney’s general outlined what they believe to be the threat that DeepSeek poses to the country. “Congress needs to pass this bipartisan bill to protect our nation’s secrets from Chinese espionage,” the letter states.
The announcement from Miyares said the platform has the capability to send user data directly to the Chinese Communist Party and users “may unknowingly be creating accounts in China, making their identities and online behavior visible to the Chinese government.”
“DeepSeek represents not just a security risk but a privacy risk for Virginians as well,” Miyares said. “The weaponization of information by America’s adversaries remains a clear, omnipresent, and ongoing threat to our national security which cannot be ignored. I strongly urge Congress to act swiftly and in a bi-partisan matter to ban DeepSeek on government devices and protect American interests from foreign adversaries.”
DeepSeek has already been blocked on government devices in Canada, Australia, South Korea and Taiwan, while Italy has blocked the program across the entire country.
Miyares’ office said DeepSeek is also linked to China Mobile, which has close ties to the Chinese military and has been sanctioned by the U.S. government.
“Given the Chinese desire to steal America’s secrets and the ability of DeepSeek to carry out this theft, Congress should quickly pass legislation to ban DeepSeek on government devices,” the attorneys general wrote.
Congress took action recently to ban TikTok on government devices for similar concerns that Bytedance, the company that owns TikTok, could potentially share data with the CCP.
“Like it did with TikTok, Congress should protect America’s national security by banning DeepSeek
on government devices,” the letter concludes.
Virginia seeks more data, transparency on public school air quality
By Andrew Kerley, VCU Capital News Service
RICHMOND, Va. -- Public schools in Virginia may soon be required to conduct routine air-quality inspections due to legislation that passed the General Assembly in February.
Democratic Fairfax County lawmakers Del. Dan Helmer and Sen. Scott Surovell introduced bills requiring schools to conduct routine inspections for air quality every two years; and for heating, ventilation and air conditioning every four years. The bills became identical through amendments.
The biennial air quality testing includes radon levels, fumes from paint, pesticides and airborne contaminants like fungi, mold and bacteria. They will also examine moisture levels and structural integrity in roofing and basements. The four-year inspections will check HVAC systems and must be completed by industry professionals.
Schools will be required to share their findings, along with a list of necessary maintenance or repairs, in a report to be made publicly available on their websites and at school board meetings.
“This is just such an important issue for students and teachers,” Helmer said. “As we saw during COVID, the lack of good air circulation and air quality contributed to the closures of our schools. We need to make sure that doesn't happen again.”
Del. Destiny LeVere Bolling, D-Henrico, attempted to pass a more ambitious bill in 2024 requiring schools to perform regular maintenance and updates for air quality systems, but it failed over concerns the fiscal burden would fall on localities.
JT Kessler, director of legislative services with the Virginia School Boards Association, raised concerns over LeVere Bolling’s bill. Kessler was prepared to do the same for Helmer’s bill this year, until Helmer worked to amend it into the inexpensive version that passed.
Helmer’s substitute was to balance the need for safe air with the desire to not put an unfunded mandate on local schools, he explained in a House Education subcommittee on Jan. 28.
Rather than require costly maintenance, the bill outlines minimum standards for inspections.
“This provides us with a standardized approach for understanding, and allows parents and localities and the commonwealth to be in the position where we can take action where the school area is dangerous,” Helmer said.
One education advocate who testified in support of the bill said air quality impacts attendance and academic performance.
The bill is an important step so parents and policymakers know how schools are faring and can make needed plans, according to Virginia Education Association lobbyist Chad Stewart. Virginia has previously allocated federal dollars for HVAC system improvement and that could happen again.
“Many schools may already have this data on hand, and it's simply adding it to an annual report,” Stewart said.
The requirements apply to buildings occupied by school board employees and students during regular work and school hours. There are 2,258 local and regional schools and centers, according to Virginia Department of Education data.
The bills passed both chambers of the General Assembly, and both bills picked up some Republican votes in support. The deadline for Gov. Glenn Youngkin to amend or veto legislation is March 24.
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