Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., reintroduced a bill May 22 that would repeal the 2026 sunset provision of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, which calls for sanctioning Iran’s weapons programs and support for terrorism. The proposed Solidify Iran Sanctions Act, which was referred to the Banking Committee, passed the House in early May (see 2505060054).
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., introduced a bill May 22 that would make the Defense Department’s Section 1260H List of Chinese military companies exempt from judicial review.
A bill that would sanction Russia and its supporters if Moscow rejects peace talks with Ukraine had gained the support of about 80 senators, or four-fifths of the Senate, as of May 22.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., introduced a bill May 21 aimed at making it faster and easier to sell arms to Taiwan.
The Trump administration is considering designating the Taliban a foreign terrorist organization to pressure the Afghan ruling group to be more helpful in countering terrorist entities within Afghanistan, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said May 21.
Eight Senate Democrats, including Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged the Trump administration May 19 to reconsider its AI deals with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, saying the agreements lack guardrails to prevent the diversion of U.S. technology to China.
House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., urged the Trump administration May 19 to consider adding Chinese electric vehicle charging company Autel Energy to the Commerce Department’s Entity List and the Defense Department’s Section 1260H list of Chinese military companies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended President Donald Trump’s recent decision to lift sanctions on Syria (see 2505130061), saying the country’s transitional authority might collapse in weeks or months without outside assistance, a situation that could lead to civil war.
Three House Republican lawmakers, including House Select Committee on China Chairman Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., asked Harvard University May 19 to provide all communications it has had since 2019 with entities “blacklisted” by the U.S. government.
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, introduced joint resolutions of disapproval May 15 aimed at blocking $1.4 billion in arms sales to the United Arab Emirates. The lawmakers said the UAE is fueling Sudan’s civil war by providing weapons to the Rapid Support Forces militia, which is fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces (see 2505130008).