A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill Nov. 30 to clarify U.S. sanctions policy on Iranian efforts to acquire unmanned drones. The Stop Iranian Drones Act would clarify that sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act apply to the “supply, sale or transfer to or from Iran of unmanned combat aerial vehicles.” The legislation also states that it is the policy of the U.S. to “prevent Iran and Iranian-aligned groups from acquiring unmanned aerial vehicles” that may be used in attacks against the U.S. or its allies. “With this bill, we are ensuring the world knows that the U.S. will use every tool to cut off Iran’s UAV supplies and to punish those who continue to supply Iran with UAVs and parts despite their destructive impact,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who introduced the bill alongside Reps. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.; Joe Wilson, R-S.C.; and Ted Deutch, D-Fla.
More than 50 technology and auto companies urged congressional leaders to fund the CHIPS for America Act and pass a “strengthened version” of the Facilitating American Built Semiconductors Act, saying they would provide a much-needed boost to the U.S. semiconductor industry amid the global chip shortage. The companies -- including Apple, Microsoft, Ford, IBM and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) -- said chip demand has “outstripped supply, creating a global chip shortage and resulting in lost growth and jobs in the economy.” It has also “exposed vulnerabilities in the semiconductor supply chain,” they said, which has highlighted the need for a more robust chip manufacturing base in the U.S.
Indiana Republican Sen. Todd Young, who co-led the Endless Frontier bill with Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, said he hopes to learn more soon about when conferees might be named to negotiate a compromise between the House and the Senate approaches to a China package. "I'm supposed to huddle up with Sen. Schumer today. I need to approach him. I have not had an opportunity to personally chat with him about the state of things," Young said in a brief hallway interview Nov. 30.
The House Science Committee has been ready to go to conference on science and tech legislation since passing its bills in June, but members are waiting for Democratic leadership to take action on the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act (S. 1260), the committee ranking member Frank Lucas, R-Okla., said in a recent interview.
The Congressional Research Service published a report dated Nov. 10 on the supply chain issues at U.S. ports, detailing disruptions to customs processes, container flows and more. It also describes the range of port inefficiencies being faced by traders and forwarders, including equipment and driver shortages, container fees, and “inadequate” Department of Transportation data collection efforts on detention time that could have been used "for considering policy changes."
Nine liberal senators, led by Democrats Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont, want the U.S. to push Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European Union to agree to an Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver at the World Trade Organization, so that COVID-19 vaccine production can accelerate in Asia, Latin America and Africa.
The Trade Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a virtual hearing Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. EST called “Supporting U.S. Workers, Businesses, and the Environment in the Face of Unfair Chinese Trade Practices." No witnesses have been announced.
A Senate bill would authorize several recommendations recently made by the Federal Maritime Commission to address issues in the international freight delivery system, including unfair detention and demurrage fees. The bill, introduced last week, would also seek to standardize shipping terminology among port users and require the government to produce more statistics on equipment dwell times.
The Bureau of Industry and Security hasn’t done enough to restrict exports of sensitive technologies to Chinese artificial intelligence companies, Republican senators said in a Nov. 15 letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. The senators urged BIS to “expeditiously review and then add” to the Entity List all A.I. suppliers to China’s military, including those listed in a recent report by Georgetown University. In a report last month, university researchers said very few A.I. suppliers to China face specific U.S. export controls (see 2110290018).
The Senate Finance Committee approved the nominations of Chris Wilson for chief innovation and intellectual property negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on a 24-4 vote, and María Pagán to be a deputy USTR, who would lead the delegation to the World Trade Organization, 27-1. Both are longtime civil servants at USTR (see 2108110038).