The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has created a task force to identify steps Congress should take to counter Western Hemisphere cartels involved in drug, human and arms trafficking, the committee announced April 11. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, will chair the task force. Crenshaw introduced a resolution last month to create a House select committee focused on Mexican drug cartels (see 2503310014).
John Hurley, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be undersecretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial crimes (see 2502120058), said April 10 that he wants to "understand better how we can tighten the focus” on Chinese companies that steal U.S. innovations.
President Donald Trump this week ordered his administration to reduce regulatory restrictions around sales of weapons and other military items to U.S. partners, saying he wants to speed up foreign military sales and make the process more “transparent.”
House Select Committee on China ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and 10 other committee Democrats urged the Commerce Department April 9 to reconsider its plans to pull back from traditional export control dialogues with allies, including the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC).
Landon Heid, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of commerce for export administration (see 2502120020), said April 10 that he wants the Bureau of Industry and Security to wage a “continuous battle every single day” to prevent China from obtaining restricted U.S. technology.
Thomas DiNanno, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be undersecretary of state for arms control and international security (see 2502120058), said April 9 that speeding up foreign military sales (FMS) will be a priority for him if he’s confirmed by the Senate.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 18-4 April 9 to approve the nomination of former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., to be U.S. ambassador to China. The nomination now heads to the full Senate for consideration. Perdue testified before the committee April 3 that he would try to “increase the dialogue pace” on U.S.-China trade, including on agricultural products (see 2504030045).
The Senate voted 66-32 on April 8 to confirm former U.S. ambassador to Portugal George Glass to be U.S. ambassador to Japan. Glass testified March 13 before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that he would seek to ensure that Japan follows through on its commitment to ramp up purchases of U.S. liquefied natural gas (see 2503130050).
The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved several sanctions and export control bills April 9, including one that would increase sanctions on Iran's energy sector to deprive Tehran of revenue it uses to fund terrorism.
Exporters and other companies could start seeing an uptick in government subpoenas as the Bureau of Industry and Security looks to increase export penalties, industry officials said this week, adding that businesses should make sure they’re scrutinizing transactions and watching for red flags.