The Biden administration needs to conduct a full review of its current sanctions against Iran before lifting any of the designations as part of a potential nuclear deal, said Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. McCaul pointed to the requirements under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which states the administration must conduct the sanctions review before Aug. 2.
Among the 28 motions to instruct for China package negotiations that will be considered next Tuesday and Wednesday in the Senate, two are on sanctions, and one requires that business funding programs document that technology developed at the companies receiving grants don't share sensitive technology with China or Russia.
The U.K. amended 195 entries under its Russia sanctions regime, still subjecting the entries to an asset freeze, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. It also corrected the listings for Oleg Vladimirovich Onopko and Alexandra Alexandrovna Usacheva. The 195 amended entries were for individuals who were listed under the sanctions regime without any explanation as to their position in Russian society. The amendments add this information, making it clear that the individuals are Russian politicians and members of the military.
President Joe Biden asked Congress this week for stronger authorities to seize the assets of sanctioned Russian oligarchs and investigate and prosecute cases of sanctions evasion. The request was sent April 28 alongside a proposal for an additional $33 billion Ukraine-related aid package, including about $20 billion in additional military aid.
Elizabeth Boison, previously with DOJ's Bank Integrity Unit and National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, joined Hogan Lovells as a partner in the Global Regulatory and Intellectual Property, Media and Technology practice group, the firm announced. During her time in government, Boison also worked with the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, where she helped craft guidance on the regulatory enforcement of financial crimes, the firm said. At DOJ, Boison focused on sanctions, asset forfeiture, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other fraud-involved proceedings.
Anthony Rapa, a former partner at Kirkland & Ellis, joined Blank Rome as a partner in its National Security practice, the firm announced. Blank Rome said Rapa will work on "sanctions and export control-related matters in cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, government investigations, and regulatory matters." Such issues under Rapa's portfolio include regulations administered under the Export Administration Regulations, the Bureau of Industry and Security and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
China’s commerce ministry recently released draft implementing regulations for its dual-use export control law (see 2105180023). The regulations outline how the agency will administer export licensing, enforcement and penalties, according to an unofficial translation of the regulations. They also include more information on an upcoming dual-use product list. China is accepting public comments on the draft regulations until May 22.
The U.S. is looking into whether Chinese semiconductor manufacturer Yangtze Memory Technologies Co. violated U.S. export controls by supplying chips to Huawei, the Financial Times reported April 27. The report said the Bureau of Industry and Security received a “credible” report by TechInsights, a semiconductor analysis firm, that Huawei is using YMTC memory chips in a new smartphone. The chips were reportedly made in February 2021, several months after the U.S. applied its foreign direct product rule to Huawei, which restricts its ability to import foreign-produced goods made with certain levels of U.S.-origin content or technology (see 2005150058).
Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told senators repeatedly during her testimony at a Commerce Committee hearing that the conference process for the House and Senate's China packages needs to get done as soon as possible, because other countries are offering funds to chipmakers, and companies are looking to plan new plants, because demand is so high. Raimondo said she's spoken with all the American chipmakers, and it's clear to her that if Congress doesn't act, those companies will invest in Germany, Singapore, France or Spain rather than Ohio or Arizona. Raimondo said, "They want to operate in our country, but they cannot wait. They are going to build, and if we don’t act quickly with USICA, they’ll build elsewhere."
A bill that would authorize the administration to confiscate any property valued at more than $5 million from a Russian oligarch who has already been sanctioned for involvement in the Ukraine invasion passed the House 417-8.