Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Texas, and Del. James Moylan, R-Guam, announced Dec. 3 that they have introduced a bill aimed at protecting whistleblowers who report defense export control violations.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has canceled each of its Technical Advisory Committee meetings since the start of October, including the next meeting of its Regulations and Procedures TAC that was scheduled for Dec. 9, according to the agency's website.
Advanced technology and AI companies largely supported the Commerce Department’s new effort to create a program aimed at increasing U.S. exports of AI technologies and services, with some saying companies should commit to "rigorous" export compliance conditions before being allowed to participate. One company said the U.S. should require businesses to automate their compliance for exports involving certain dual-use AI models, saying manual compliance presents too many “failure points.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security shouldn't expect freight forwarders and logistics providers to carry out the same level of 50% rule due-diligence as exporters, which have much more visibility into the products being shipped and are better positioned to make sure they comply with the new regulations, logistics companies and trade groups told BIS in public comments released this month.
The Bureau of Industry and Security needs more resources to address the surge in export license applications that’s expected if its new 50% rule comes back into effect with no changes, industry groups said, adding that otherwise, the agency risks severely delaying or pausing large volumes of trade.
The Bureau of Industry and Security on Nov. 21 suspended the export privileges of nine people and one company after they were convicted of export-related offenses, including illegal shipments involving guns, ammunition, blastic vests and more. The suspensions took effect from the date of their convictions.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., introduced a bill last week that would require the Bureau of Industry and Security to conduct a competitive market review of applications to export items to entities on the agency’s Entity List.
The U.S. arrested two U.S. citizens and two Chinese nationals last week after accusing them of using a purported Florida real estate firm, an Alabama distributor and nearly $4 million in wire transfers to buy and illegally export “cutting edge” chips to China.
The U.S. should work with its allies to increase export restrictions on semiconductor manufacturing equipment (SME), components and services to limit China’s ability to make computing chips, former government officials told lawmakers Nov. 20.
Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Nov. 20 that he plans to introduce a bill to place subsidiaries on the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Entity List if they're owned 50% or more by companies on that list.