The Senate voted 82-15 to approve a compromise three-bill FY 2026 appropriations package that would provide a $44 million, or 23%, increase for the Bureau of Industry and Security from the FY 2025 enacted level (see 2601080052). The legislation, which the House approved Jan. 8, now heads to President Donald Trump for his expected signature.
The Census Bureau emailed advice this week on how to address one of the most frequent messages generated last month in the Automated Export System.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control this week sanctioned Iranian security officials involved in the country's violent crackdown on protesters, and it also designated people and entities that it said help launder revenue from Iranian petroleum and petrochemical sales as part of a “shadow banking” network of sanctioned Iranian financial institutions.
Citing economic and national security concerns, a panel of experts called on lawmakers Jan. 14 to overturn the Trump administration’s decision last month to allow Nvidia to export its H200 AI chips to China (see 2512080059).
Mary Thien Hoang has left her role as the Federal Maritime Commission's chief of staff after about two decades working for the agency, she announced last week on LinkedIn. She has held multiple senior roles with the FMC, including chief of staff for several commission chairs and deputy director of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services.
The United Arab Emirates has officially signed the Pax Silica Declaration, an initiative led by the U.S., along with other nations, to strengthen the silicon supply chain and partner on economic security issues (see 2512160019), the State Department said Jan. 14. The announcement came one day after Qatar signed the declaration (see 2601120038). The State Department said India will sign next month.
British companies are still seeing significant post-Brexit trade delays and disruptions when moving goods to and from the EU, including steel products, jets, autos, agricultural goods and more, U.K. industry officials told the country’s Parliament this week. They urged the U.K. government to resolve a range of customs issues with the EU and negotiate carve-outs from upcoming EU tariffs, especially as they said the U.K.’s trade relationship with the U.S. grows more unpredictable.
Chinese customs authorities have informed customs agents this week that Nvidia's H200 chips aren't permitted to enter the country, Reuters reported Jan. 14. Chinese government officials also informed domestic technology companies that they shouldn't purchase the chips "unless necessary," the report said.
The State Department is seeking comments on an information collection involving commodity jurisdiction determinations, according to a notice for publication in the Jan. 15 Federal Register. The collection says exporters may request a written determination from the agency stating whether a particular article or defense service is controlled by the U.S. Munitions List. Comments on the collection are due by March 16.
Jinchao Wei, a former sailor with the U.S. Navy who was found guilty in August of illegally exporting military information and technical data to China (see 2508210039), was sentenced this week to 200 months in prison. Wei was convicted on several counts, including espionage and illegally exporting technical data related to defense articles in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.