Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, said Dec. 11 the U.S. should designate Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, on Dec. 4 introduced a House companion to a Senate bill that would sanction Chinese individuals and entities that engage in a pattern of theft of intellectual property from the U.S. (see 2501310002). The Combatting China’s Pilfering of Intellectual Property Act, or CCP IP Act, was referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, reintroduced the Senate version in January.
A bipartisan, bicameral group of four lawmakers led by House Select Committee on China ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., has introduced a bill aimed at helping the U.S. improve its use of sanctions against China for conducting oil and missile-related trade with Iran.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., on Dec. 11 urged Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang to testify on Capitol Hill in response to the Trump administration allowing sales of the company's more advanced H200 AI chips to China. Warren said during a floor speech that she is concerned that President Donald Trump may force DOJ to curtail a crackdown begun earlier this week on smuggling of such chips to China (see 2512090022). “Will Donald Trump muzzle his own [DOJ] because he does not want Americans to know that he is selling out our national security?” she asked. The White House, Commerce Department and Nvidia didn't immediately comment.
The House voted late Dec. 10 to pass the final FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes legislation to limit U.S. outbound investment in China and repeal a Syria sanctions law (see 2512080048).
Companies with touchpoints to the U.S.-Mexico supply chain are facing more compliance risks amid the Trump administration's focus on sanctioning Mexican drug cartels, including measures to label them as terror groups, the Bradley law firm said in a Dec. 9 client alert.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned several people, companies and ships connected to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and the country's shipping and energy sectors.
A group of Ukrainian nationals on Dec. 10 accused Intel, Texas Instruments, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Mouser Electronics of not doing enough to ensure the semiconductor parts they make don't end up in Russian or Iranian hands (Shumylo v. Texas Instruments, Tex. # 25-09714).
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., this week criticized the Trump administration’s decision to suspend the Bureau of Industry and Security's 50% rule (see 2510300024) and allow exports of Nvidia H200 chips to China, suggesting the U.S. is sacrificing national security for improved trade relations with China.
Furniture importer Cool Living LLC has accused ALPI Logistics and its ALPI non-vessel-operating common carriers of repeatedly failing to properly carry out their responsibilities to transport cargo from Europe to the U.S., according to a complaint filed Dec. 4 with the Federal Maritime Commission.