Lawmakers expressed concerns this week that the Federal Maritime Commission may not have enough resources to continue reforming ocean shipping regulations and enforcing existing shipping laws, particularly after a host of employees resigned from the agency this year.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said that where the line should be drawn on export controls will be on the table during negotiations with Chinese officials in Stockholm next week.

The U.S. should impose new export controls on the subsystems of semiconductor manufacturing equipment and double down on enforcement for exports of advanced AI chips, including by potentially mandating that chip exporters use location-tracking features, the White House said in its new AI action plan. While the plan calls for tighter controls against China and other “strategic adversaries,” it also said the U.S. should strike deals with other countries to export American AI systems around the world.

The Senate Banking Committee voted 13-11 along party lines July 23 to approve David Peters' nomination as assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement.

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In a joint statement, the U.S. and Indonesia said Indonesia will accept FDA certificates and prior marketing authorization for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, will exempt U.S. exports of cosmetics and medical devices "from certain requirements," and will exempt U.S. companies from local content requirements.

House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said July 22 that the U.S. needs to impose stronger export controls and outbound investment restrictions on China to protect its own national security.

The U.K. saw an uptick in voluntary disclosures and penalties for export violations last year along with a rise in the percentage of first-time exporters that weren’t fully compliant with export control regulations, it said in its strategic export controls annual report released this month. The country also said it’s hoping to improve its export licensing process to reduce wait times.

The Senate Appropriations Committee’s newly released report on the FY 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill (see 2507170053 and 2507100053) calls for the Bureau of Industry and Security to take several actions to inform lawmakers, including writing a report on international efforts to harmonize export controls on items that could aid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggested the White House may be in favor of a bill that would authorize new sanctions and tariffs against Russia’s supporters, and he urged the EU to put in place similar measures.