BIS Nominee Eyes Rigorous Enforcement of Export Controls
David Peters, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement (see 2504300061), said June 12 that he would “aggressively” enforce U.S. export controls to ensure sensitive American technology doesn’t end up in the hands of adversaries.
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"The United States leads the world in cutting-edge technologies, including semiconductors, biotechnology, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, telecommunications, and artificial intelligence," Peters told the Senate Banking Committee. "To maintain and maximize these advantages, we must rigorously enforce our export control laws.”
Peters endorsed the Trump administration’s efforts to increase the number of Bureau of Industry and Security employees focused on export control compliance and enforcement (see 2506120073). “We must remain a world-class law enforcement organization, capable of successfully and aggressively investigating and prosecuting individuals and entities who undermine our nation’s economic and national security," he said.
Asked by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., the Banking Committee’s ranking member, if “robust safeguards” are needed to ensure the Trump administration’s new AI deals with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia don’t result in chip diversions to China, Peters declined to answer directly, saying rulemaking and policy are the role of the export administration side of BIS, not the export enforcement side that he would oversee.
Asked by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., whether he would favor conducting an intelligence assessment of Group 42 Holding Ltd. (G42), a UAE-based AI company that has ties with China and that Van Hollen said would receive “lots of very sensitive chips and AI know-how” under the U.S.-UAE deal, Peters said such a decision would rest with export administration personnel.
Asked by Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., if he believes BIS should resume adding entities supporting Russia’s war machine to the Entity List, Peters said he would have a role in nominations to the list and "without pre-judging any particular entity, I would take that portion of our responsibilities very seriously working with my colleagues."
If the Trump administration’s proposed budget increase for BIS becomes law, Peters said he would determine how the portion provided for export enforcement "could be best allocated." He also said he would be happy to work with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., on a bill he introduced to prevent the smuggling of U.S. AI chips to China (see 2504140012).