Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., introduced a bill last week to require the Energy Department to examine the impact on climate change and other factors when considering permits for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals.
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said Nov. 20 that the Biden administration should sanction the Myanma Economic Bank, which serves the country’s oppressive military junta. He cited a news report indicating that dozens of Myanmar civil society groups have urged the State and Treasury departments to sanction the bank. Sanctioning the bank would be a "pivotal next step to implementing" his Burma Unified Through Rigorous Military Accountability Act, or BURMA Act, which was signed into law in December 2022, he said.
Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., introduced a bill Nov. 21 to prohibit the transfer of Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, to Ukraine. His bill was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Higgins has been a critic of U.S. military aid to Ukraine, and President Joe Biden reportedly recently agreed to allow Ukraine to use ATACMS to strike deeper inside Russia. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said Nov. 17 that he welcomes Biden's decision but believes it should have occurred sooner.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., introduced two export-related measures Nov. 21 aimed at encouraging the United Arab Emirates to stop arming Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia group, which is fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces.
The Senate late Nov. 20 defeated three joint resolutions of disapproval that would have blocked the transfer of certain offensive weapons to Israel (see 2411200041).
Several Republican lawmakers called for sanctioning International Criminal Court (ICC) officials after the ICC issued arrest warrants Nov. 21 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza.
President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of billionaire businessman Howard Lutnick to be Commerce secretary (see 2411190036) drew mixed reaction on Capitol Hill this week.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., said Nov. 20 that he opposes legislation to block the transfer of offensive weapons to Israel.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Nov. 20 that she’s trying to get two sanctions bills included in the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which Congress aims to pass before it adjourns for the year in December.
A mostly Republican group of 44 House members urged the Treasury Department this month to push back implementation of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s new beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting rule.