Commissioners from the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) penned a letter to Secretarty of State Anthony Blinken asking the State Department to utilize existing rewards programs to seek information that will “deter and disrupt the market for illegally procured organs…and hold accountable those responsible for the gruesome practice” of forced organ harvesting in the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

OFAC has deployed its new Sanctions List Service (SLS).  SLS is now the primary application OFAC will use to deliver sanctions list files and data to the public. OFAC's Sanctions List …

The April 19 IFR loosening license requirements for dual-use trade is corrected to include only portions of those firearms ECCNs previously controlled for national security column 1 (NS1) or regional stability column 1 (RS1) reasons for control for the destinations of Australia and the United Kingdom will continue to require a license. The revised proposed rule conforms with the existing treatment of Canada.

The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls is issuing a white paper providing general findings from visiting various universities and research centers that are engaged in activities of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations from 2020 to early 2024.  The paper provides general compliance commendations, including “best practices” and recommendations that the Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance provided to the universities following each visit.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and IRS released final rules on the clean vehicle provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act. The rules update  taxpayer and vehicle eligibility for the credit for new clean vehicles and the previously-owned clean vehicle credit. The rules also address the critical minerals and battery components requirements and Foreign Entity of Concern (or “excluded entity”) restriction that were added to the clean vehicle credit by the IRA.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim delivered remarks at the Department of Justice on April 29, 2024, marking the one-year anniversary of the launch of the Timber Interdiction Membership Board and Enforcement Resources Working Group.

In testimony before the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control last week, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson Before the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control directed lawmakers attention to Chinese money laundering organizations (CMLOs). CMLOs offer several advantages for illicit actors. These money launderers are insular, decentralized, and rely on interpersonal relationships among the Chinese diaspora to conduct business, making them difficult for law enforcement to penetrate.

Bipartisan legislation (HR 8187) introduced last week would improve transparency in the current battery supply chain by creating an Energy Department program to support the development, implementation and adoption of digital identification systems.

The US Export-Import Bank signed two new Memoranda of Understanding yesterday, one with Nigeria and the other with Mastercard. The Nigerian MOU is "to encourage collaboration and identify projects that enhance economic prosperity between Nigeria and the United States,"according to EXIM.  The Mastercard MoU is "to encourage collaboration opportunities in support of small businesses."

Responding to reports the company has secretly funded research at US universities through an independent foundation, new chairman of the House Select Committee on China Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich) is taking aim at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei. The research funding is a way for China to steal US innovations, the chairman said.  The Administration should suspend all export licenses to Huawei and consider other steps such as placing the company on the Specifically Designated National list, he stated.

The Justice Depaertment's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) will be submitting for review and approval revisions to the form filed for approval to permanently export NFA firearms registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record

The Energy Department has published their interpretation of the statutory definition of “foreign entity of concern” (FEOC) in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which applies to multiple programs related to the battery supply chain. In this final interpretive rule, DOE responds to public comments, clarifying the term “foreign entity of concern” by providing interpretations of the following key terms: “government of a foreign country;” “foreign entity;” “subject to the jurisdiction;” and “owned by, controlled by, or subject to the direction.”

The Department of Defense published proposed rules prohibiting the acquisition of semiconductor parts and services manufactured by certain Chinese manufacturing concerns. DoD, GSA, and NASA are considering amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to implement paragraphs (a), (b), and (h) in section 5949 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 that prohibits executive agencies from procuring or obtaining certain products and services that include covered semiconductor products or services effective December 23, 2027.

The first arbitration panel under the US-Mexico-Canada rapid response labor mechanism has ruled in favor of Mexico in the case of the San Martín mine, located in Sombrerete, Zacatecas. The three members of the panel determined that they did not have jurisdiction to rule on the denial of union rights at the mine, because the problems occurred before the USMCA took effect, according to a release from Mexico’s Ministry of Economy.

REVISION TO LICENSE TYPE C33 No License Required (NLR) to reflect “600 series” items are eligible for this license type when exported to Australia and the United Kingdom. An update has been made to AES to reflect that NLR shipments of 600-series and 9x515 ECCNs (except .y paragraph) can be shipped only to Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Following on the Commerce Department's modification of dual-use export controls for alliance partners [Link],  the US Departemnt of State proposes to amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to support the goals of the AUKUS partnership. The Department is proposing an ITAR amendment in the interest of preparing for a future exemption and obtaining public feedback to shape a final rule following any positive certification.

May 1 the Treasury Department issued sanctions targeting Russia’s military-industrial base and chemical and biological weapons programs,  as well as companies and individuals in third countries that help Russia acquire key inputs for weapons or defense-related production. The action includes nearly 60 targets located in Azerbaijan, Belgium, the PRC, Russia, Slovakia, Türkiye, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  

On 1 May, the U.K. Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) introduced Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), a new form of additional guidance aimed at providing technical support to industry partners and the public. 

The Justice Department, together with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), announced that Williams-Sonoma Inc.  has agreed to a settlement that requires it to pay more than $3 million in civil penalties and stop making false and misleading claims about the origins of its products.

It is premature to declare Nippon Steel's bid to buy US Steel dead,, despite election year politics driving acerbic scrutiny from Labor and legislators. Tuesday, the United Steelworkers scoffed at Nippon Steel's overtures to the union, calling them "nothing more than another collection of empty promises and open-ended language that would enable it to skirt obligations to workers and retirees."