House OKs Measure to Ease Satellite Exports; Senate Action Expected Soon
The House of Representatives took a major step to change export regulations for commercial satellites May 18 when it passed the $643 billion FY13 National Defense Authorization bill (HR-4310). The bill included an amendment to reduce the cost and burden for U.S. manufacturers to export domestic satellites and components, some satellite industry executives said. Lawmakers approved the bill by a 299-120 vote despite a veto threat from the White House.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
The amendment would shift control of civilian satellites from the U.S. Munitions List (USML) to the dual-use Commerce Control List (CCL). It would reverse a 1998 congressional mandate to categorize U.S. satellites as weapons, a decision which commercial satellite manufacturers say has harmed their competitiveness in the international satellite market. The amendment would prohibit any commercial satellite exports to China, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Sudan or Cuba.
The measure was co-sponsored by Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The amendment largely reflects the language of HR-3288, the Safeguarding United States Satellite Leadership and Security Act, which Berman introduced last year. "Treating commercial satellites and components as if they were lethal weapons, regardless of whether they're going to friend or foe, has gravely harmed American space manufacturers," Berman said Thursday.
The Senate is to mark up its version of the bill this week.