BIS Swears in Export Administration Official, Still Awaiting Undersecretary
Thea Kendler, President Joe Biden’s choice to be the Bureau of Industry and Security's assistant secretary for export administration, was officially sworn in to her position, BIS said this week. The agency said Kendler will lead Export Administration’s “highly trained technical professionals” in controlling dual-use and military exports, analyzing the impact of those export controls and supporting the U.S. defense industrial base. She also will chair the Advisory Committee on Export Policy, which resolves interagency policy disputes on export license applications submitted to BIS. The Senate confirmed Kendler in December (see 2112150009).
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BIS is awaiting Senate confirmation of Alan Estevez, Biden’s pick for undersecretary. Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was the sole Senate Banking Committee member to oppose Estevez’s nomination (see 2110050029), because Estevez declined to take a stance on a Donald Trump-era rule that transferred certain gun export controls from the State Department to Commerce (see 2104200027). A spokesperson for Menendez said in October the senator was awaiting detailed answers from Estevez about how he would approach the gun export controls. In a Jan. 5 email, the spokesperson declined to say whether any progress has been made on that front.