The State Department rescinded its statutory debarment of Dominick DeQuarto after receiving a reinstatement request, the agency said in a notice released Aug. 22. The agency debarred DeQuarto in 2020 for violating the Arms Export Control Act but determined the debarment should no longer apply after conducting a “thorough review of the circumstances surrounding" his conviction. The State Department determined that DeQuarto has taken “appropriate steps to address the causes of the violations sufficient to warrant rescission of his statutory debarment.”
A U.S. business owner allegedly exported gun parts and accessories to Russia illegally by routing them through Kazakhstan and mislabeling the shipments to evade authorities, DOJ said last week. Maxim Larin, a Florida resident who owns multiple U.S.-based firearms supply companies, illegally worked with a person in Russia to evade export restrictions and ship items controlled under both the Export Administration Regulations and International Traffic in Arms Regulations, the agency said.
When the Senate returns from its August recess, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said, he wants the chamber to take up a major Russia sanctions bill to spur Moscow to end its war with Ukraine.
The U.S. should pass the Chip Security Act, a bill that would mandate location tracking for U.S. exports of certain advanced chips (see 2506250027), because it would allow American firms to boost exports of chips without “losing visibility or control over where those chips end up,” argued Kit Conklin, a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Three House Democrats introduced a bill Aug. 22 that would require Congress, not just the executive branch, to approve the sale of certain advanced AI chips to China.
The Trump administration is likely still working out how to implement its supposed revenue-sharing chip export deal with Nvidia, including whether the agreement is allowed under U.S. law, a former U.S. diplomat said.
Jinchao Wei, a former sailor with the U.S. Navy, was found guilty this week after being accused of illegally exporting military information and technical data to China. Wei was convicted on several counts, including espionage and illegally exporting technical data related to defense articles in violation of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations. His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 1.
Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, said Aug. 21 that the House should take up his Russia sanctions bill if Moscow doesn’t negotiate a peace deal with Ukraine.
The EU and the Czech Republic should reject India-based Aurobindo Pharma’s proposed $5.5 billion acquisition of Prague-based Zentiva, the Coalition for a Prosperous America said Aug. 20, arguing that the deal would threaten European pharmaceutical security because of Aurobindo’s connection to China.
The U.S. this week sanctioned Greek national Antonios Margaritis, his network of companies and other businesses, and vessels shipping Iranian energy products.