The U.S. government could improve its ability to wield its economic statecraft tools, including sanctions, export controls and investment screening, by making several organizational changes, such as creating an interagency coordinating body co-led by a new high-ranking official at the State Department, a researcher told the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific May 14.
President Donald Trump announced May 13 that he plans to order the “cessation of sanctions against Syria” to give the war-torn country a “chance at greatness.”
Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., urged the Trump administration May 12 to impose additional sanctions on those fueling unrest in Haiti.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., introduced a bill last week that would require export-controlled advanced computing chips to contain location verification mechanisms to prevent their diversion to “adversaries” such as China.
Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., welcomed the Trump administration’s decision to rescind and replace the Biden administration’s AI diffusion rule (see 2505070039), while House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., offered a more guarded response.
Six Senate Democrats -- led by Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire -- urged the Trump administration May 5 to increase sanctions on Russia to pressure Moscow to end its war on Ukraine.
The Trump administration needs a “bit more time” to review a congressional proposal to restrict U.S. outbound investment in China, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said May 7.
The House of Representatives passed several sanctions bills late May 5, including one aimed at officials who undermine democracy in the Republic of Georgia (see 2501070037).
The Senate Banking Committee voted 14-10 largely along party lines May 6 to approve John Hurley to be undersecretary of the treasury for terrorism and financial crimes, sending his nomination to the full Senate for its consideration.
The Senate Banking Committee voted 13-11 along party lines May 6 to approve Landon Heid to be assistant secretary of commerce for export administration, sending his nomination to the full Senate for consideration.