Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., introduced a bill March 3 to repeal the sunset provision of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996. The existing law, which calls for sanctioning Iran’s weapons programs and support for terrorism, is scheduled to sunset at the end of 2026. The bill, entitled the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act, was referred to the House Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Ways and Means, Judiciary, and Oversight and Government Reform committees.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., reintroduced a bill March 3 aimed at boosting U.S. exports to Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced a bill March 3 to sanction foreign persons who engage in or facilitate forced organ harvesting in China. The legislation was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It is a companion to a bill that Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., reintroduced in late February (see 2502250056).
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said March 4 that he plans to introduce legislation to address the Trump administration’s recent move to repeal a Biden administration policy linking arms transfers to human rights.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., introduced three more joint resolutions of disapproval Feb. 25 aimed at blocking the sale of military equipment to Israel. His office provided no additional details about the measures, which were referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Sanders’ move came five days after he introduced four resolutions to block more than $8 billion in arms sales to Israel (see 2502250067).
Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., reintroduced a bill Feb. 27 that would require the Defense and State departments to monitor China’s efforts to build or buy “strategic foreign ports.”
Sens. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced a bill Feb. 26 that aims to give Congress greater insight into the export licensing process at the Bureau of Industry and Security.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers unveiled a bill Feb. 26 that seeks to encourage foreign investors to report their U.S. farmland holdings to the Agriculture Department as required by law.
Jamieson Greer, the former chief of staff to the U.S. trade representative during the first Trump administration, was confirmed by the Senate on Feb. 26, with a 56-43 vote. Five Democrats supported him, including both Michigan senators and Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and John Hickenlooper of Colorado. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., voted no.
Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., reintroduced a bill Feb. 25 that would add the agriculture secretary to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review agricultural transactions. The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act was referred to the Senate Banking Committee and the House Financial Services, Foreign Affairs and Energy and Commerce committees. The full House passed the bill in September, in the previous Congress (see 2409110045).