A new message on the Bureau of Industry and Security's website alerts exporters that the agency is prioritizing reviews of urgent license applications during the government shutdown, and it provides instructions on how to request expedited reviews.

Applied Materials, the largest American semiconductor equipment supplier, is projecting hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to its China-related revenue because of the Bureau of Industry and Security's new Affiliates Rule.

Exporters shouldn't expect a grace period from enforcement under the Bureau of Industry and Security's new 50% rule, but the agency likely is first looking for intentional violators as opposed to exporters who made good-faith efforts to comply, industry lawyers and advisers said in interviews.

Eric McPherson, a former senior defense trade analyst with the State Department, has joined Boeing as a senior trade controls specialist, he announced this week on LinkedIn. McPherson left the State Department in July after nearly two decades with the agency.

The Federal Maritime Commission announced Oct. 1 that it has suspended operations as part of the U.S. government shutdown and has furloughed its entire workforce except its three commissioners.

Japan recently updated its foreign end-user list, which includes a list of entities that may have ties to weapons of mass destruction and may be subject to extra export license requirements. The new list, effective Oct. 9, includes 87 additional organizations from 15 countries and regions, Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Sept. 29, according to an unofficial translation.

Rep. Eric “Rick” Crawford, R-Ark., introduced a bill Sept. 30 that would require the president to form a task force to identify trade barriers to U.S. agricultural exports and develop and implement a strategy to enforce trade agreements against those barriers.

Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., introduced a bill Sept. 30 that would allow the president to use International Emergency Economic Powers Act sanctions against transnational criminal organizations that conduct large-scale cyber scams targeting Americans.

Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., introduced a bill Sept. 29 that's designed to protect American companies that are sued in federal court for complying with U.S. sanctions and export controls, especially those against Russia.

Canada imposed new sanctions on Iran Oct. 1 following the U.N.'s move last month to reimpose Iranian restrictions that were paused after the 2015 nuclear deal. The Canadian measures include "broad prohibitions" on exports to and imports from Iran of nuclear, dual-use and ballistic-missile-related material, equipment and technology; prohibitions on technical and financial assistance related to restricted goods; an arms embargo; and service restrictions for Iranian vessels. The announcement follows similar moves to impose snapback sanctions on Iran by the EU, the U.K. and others (see 2510010018 and 2508280033).