The U.K. has formally acceded to the Agreement on Defense Export Controls, a partnership with France, Germany and Spain aimed at removing obstacles to license application approvals.
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.
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.
The State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is seeking public comments on one information collection related to nontransfer and use certificates and another involving Part 130 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.