Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., reintroduced a bill Jan. 28 that would authorize the administration to sanction Chinese chemical companies and government officials who don't do appropriate compliance and oversight to prevent their chemicals from being sold to narcotraffickers. The Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act was referred to the House Foreign Affairs, Financial Services, Oversight and Government Reform, and Judiciary committees. Barr previously introduced the bill in May 2023 (see 2305230020), and the House of Representatives passed it in July 2023.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said late Jan. 27 that he plans to introduce legislation in the “coming weeks” to sanction Belarus over its “sham” presidential election.
A bill to sanction International Criminal Court (ICC) officials failed to gain enough votes to limit Senate debate on the measure Jan. 28, leaving its fate in doubt.
The Senate voted 68-29 late Jan. 27 to confirm hedge fund manager Scott Bessent as treasury secretary.
Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., reintroduced a bill Jan. 27 to end all U.S. petroleum cooperation and petroleum-related trade with Venezuela until that country's ruler, Nicolas Maduro, concedes he lost Venezuela's recent presidential election.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., said Jan. 24 that they plan to revive their effort to block offensive arms transfers to the United Arab Emirates until the country stops providing weapons to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia group.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., reintroduced a bill Jan. 23 to sanction entities and people that pay Palestinian terrorists and their families for attacks against Israelis. The measure, which was referred to the Senate Banking Committee, also would sanction financial institutions that facilitate such payments. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., is expected to introduce companion legislation in the House. The bill was previously introduced in both chambers in July, in the previous Congress (see 2407260039).
Reps. Young Kim, R-Calif., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., introduced a bill Jan. 24 that could lead to the sanctioning of Hong Kong officials for human rights violations.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to take up a State Department authorization bill “sometime after” the August congressional recess, committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., said Jan. 23.
Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., will chair the Senate Banking Subcommittee on National Security and International Trade and Finance in the new 119th Congress, the full committee announced Jan. 23. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., will be ranking member of the subcommittee, whose jurisdiction includes export controls and the International Trade Administration. The subcommittee also will include Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.; Jim Banks, R-Ind., Dave McCormick, R-Pa., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.