Sens. Todd Young, R-Ind., and Mark Warner, D-Va., said the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. should review the potential purchase by a foreign entity of 23andMe, a bankrupt U.S. biotechnology firm that holds sensitive information on millions of people. In an April 28 letter to DOJ and the Federal Trade Commission, the senators commended DOJ for recently recommending such a CFIUS review. The senators are particularly concerned that China could buy 23andMe and use the company's data for “malign” purposes, such as transnational surveillance.
A bill aimed at revitalizing the American maritime sector includes a provision that would require the Commerce and State Departments to study ways to reduce export controls and International Traffic in Arms Regulations on foreign-owned companies that wish to invest in the U.S. shipbuilding industry.
Paul Dabbar, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be deputy commerce secretary, said May 1 that he would support the 1979 international Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft, which calls for eliminating tariffs on civil aircraft, engines, flight simulators and related parts.
Luke Lindberg, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be undersecretary of agriculture for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, said April 29 that he would seek to lower barriers to U.S. agricultural exports in a wide range of places, including the EU, which “routinely shuts out our products at the altar of non-scientific based claims.”
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved by voice vote April 30 the nomination of former State Department official Thomas DiNanno to be undersecretary of state for arms control and international security. The nomination now heads to the full Senate for its consideration. DiNanno testified before the committee April 9 that speeding up foreign military sales will be a priority for him if he’s confirmed (see 2504090026).
The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s foreign arms sales task force held the second in a series of roundtables April 29 to receive defense industry input on improving the U.S. foreign arms sales process, the committee announced April 30. During the closed-door session, the task force heard from the Aerospace Industries Association and the National Defense Industrial Association. The committee revealed in January that it was forming the task force (see 2501220086).
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Fla., co-chair of the House Haiti Caucus, urged the Trump administration April 30 to reconsider its decision to designate Haitian gangs as foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs), saying the move could impede the delivery of humanitarian aid to the impoverished country.
The Senate voted 67-29 on April 29 to confirm former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., to be U.S. ambassador to China. Perdue has said he will seek to “increase the dialogue pace” on U.S.-China trade and press China to improve its human rights record, curb its purchase of Iranian oil and stem its export of fentanyl precursor chemicals (see 2504030045).
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called on the Commerce Department April 29 to improve its efforts to prevent the illegal diversion of U.S. firearms exports.
Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., introduced a bill April 28 that would codify former President Joe Biden’s February 2024 executive order allowing the U.S. to sanction those who undermine peace, security and stability in the West Bank.