Several lawmakers welcomed the State Department’s March 31 announcement that it is sanctioning six Hong Kong government and police officials who it said have helped to implement the territory's repressive national security law (see 2503310041).
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., said March 31 that they may pursue sanctions if the U.N. Human Rights Council (HRC) creates a new mechanism to investigate Israel.
Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., plans to reintroduce a bill that would impose property-blocking sanctions on foreign persons who undermine the 1995 peace agreement that ended the Bosnian War, a spokesperson said in an e-mail March 25. The Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act is aimed at pro-secession Bosnian Serb leaders. The House passed the bill by a wide margin in the last Congress (see 2503140019).
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, introduced a resolution March 27 that would form a bipartisan House committee to develop policy recommendations to counter Mexican drug cartels.
House Select Committee on China ranking member Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., and Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., urged the Trump administration March 31 to investigate whether China’s Yantai iRay Technology Co. Ltd. is evading U.S. sanctions by selling its thermal imaging products in the U.S. through subsidiaries and other affiliated entities.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee announced last week that it has appointed a total of 12 members – seven Republicans, five Democrats -- to its new task force on foreign arms sales.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, reintroduced a bill March 13 that would prohibit U.S. natural gas from being exported to a foreign country with the intent of further exporting the gas through a foreign liquefied natural gas terminal. Sullivan is concerned about the transport of American gas by pipeline to Mexico, whose energy sector experiences corruption, fuel theft and government interference. The bill, which he offered in the last Congress (see 2410030033), was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the Trump administration March 25 to designate two additional Venezuelan entities as foreign terrorist organizations.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said March 27 that he plans to force Senate floor votes the week of March 31 to April 4 on two resolutions aimed at preventing the sale of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel. Sanders cited concerns about the Gaza war, including civilian casualties and Israel's blockade of the strip. The Senate rejected similar Sanders legislation in November (see 2411210022).
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., reintroduced a bill March 25 that would require CBP to create a four-year pilot program to use data analytics to identify vessels evading sanctions and export controls.