Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., announced June 18 that he is reintroducing a bill that would require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to annually update its list of sensitive military, intelligence and national laboratory facilities. The Protect Our Bases Act is intended to ensure CFIUS reviews foreign land purchases near sensitive sites. The legislation, which Scott previously introduced in the last Congress, has 11 co-sponsors, all Republican.
A provision included in a cryptocurrency bill the Senate passed late June 17 would require stablecoin issuers to certify annually that they have implemented anti-money laundering and sanctions compliance programs.
Rodney Scott, who once led the Border Patrol, was confirmed by the Senate to be the leader of CBP, on a 51-46 vote. All Republicans present voted for Scott, and no Democrats or independents did.
Ten Senate Democrats, including Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., urged the State Department to retain the staff and programs of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), whose duties include administering sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
The Senate is getting closer to formally considering a bill that would impose a wide range of sanctions on Russia and its supporters if Moscow refuses to reach a peace deal with Ukraine, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said June 17.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, said June 17 that he expects the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) partnership will demonstrate its worth in the Defense Department’s recently announced review of the security initiative.
Two leaders of the House Republican Study Committee urged Congress June 16 to advance sanctions legislation aimed at stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism.
Stacey Feinberg, President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, said June 12 that she would work with Luxembourg to improve its screening of foreign investment, especially from China.
Sens. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Alex Padilla, D-Calif., introduced a bill June 12 that would impose property-blocking sanctions on Salvadoran officials for alleged human rights abuses, including imprisoning U.S. residents deported by the Trump administration without due process.
Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., reintroduced legislation June 12 aimed at curbing U.S. investment in China. One bill would prohibit Americans from owning the publicly traded securities of U.S.-sanctioned companies, while another would bar index mutual funds from holding Chinese stocks. Both bills, which Ricketts previously introduced in the last Congress (see 2409270021), were referred to the Senate Banking Committee.