The House of Representatives passed a bill by voice vote June 25 that would impose sanctions on foreign persons who engage in or facilitate forced organ harvesting in China (see 2406240032). Lawmakers cited reports, including a recent State Department human rights report, that say that Falun Gong spiritual movement followers and Uyghur Muslims are among the main victims of involuntary organ harvesting. The House approved a similar bill by a 413-2 vote in March 2023, and it’s unclear whether either proposal will clear the Senate.

The House Appropriations Committee unveiled an FY 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act bill June 26 that would provide $43 million for the Federal Maritime Commission, about $5.5 million below the Biden administration’s request but up $3 million from the FY 2024 appropriated level.

A bipartisan group of five lawmakers urged congressional leaders in a June 25 letter to schedule House and Senate floor time on a bill that would allow Ukraine to receive hundreds of millions of dollars in Russian assets forfeited due to export control or sanctions violations.

The House Appropriations Committee on June 25 unveiled a FY 2025 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill that would provide $186.7 million to the Bureau of Industry and Security, $4.3 million below the FY 2024 enacted level and $36.7 million below President Joe Biden’s budget request.

The House of Representatives this week plans to consider a bill that would impose sanctions on foreign persons who engage in or facilitate forced organ harvesting in China. Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., introduced the Falun Gong Protection Act in June 2023 (see 2306160009), and the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved it on a 33-0 vote later that month (see 2306260022).

Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and three other Republican senators have introduced a bill that would require the president to notify Congress before pausing arms deliveries to Israel, Risch’s office announced June 21.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., and three other Democratic senators plan to introduce a bill to transfer authority over small arms exports from the Commerce Department back to the State Department, Cardin’s office announced June 21. The legislation is intended to stem the flow of U.S.-made weapons to drug cartels, gangs and other violent groups across the Western Hemisphere. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, introduced a similar bill last year (see 2312080066). The Trump administration transferred small arms export authority from State to Commerce in 2020 (see 2001170030).

The House Select Committee on China is creating a working group to address China’s role as the world’s leading supplier of precursor chemicals for fentanyl, committee Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., said in a statement June 20. Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., and Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., will lead the new group. A report the committee released in April said that Congress should approve tougher sanctions and import restrictions to stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. (see 2404160039). Many of the new measures recommended in the report would be aimed at China.

Sens. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced June 20 that they are introducing a bill to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism.

A bipartisan group of 41 House members urged the Biden administration this week to “expeditiously implement” and “fully utilize” newly enacted authorities for sanctioning Iranian oil.