The House Foreign Affairs Committee announced last week that it has appointed a total of 12 members – seven Republicans, five Democrats -- to its new task force on foreign arms sales.
Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, reintroduced a bill March 13 that would prohibit U.S. natural gas from being exported to a foreign country with the intent of further exporting the gas through a foreign liquefied natural gas terminal. Sullivan is concerned about the transport of American gas by pipeline to Mexico, whose energy sector experiences corruption, fuel theft and government interference. The bill, which he offered in the last Congress (see 2410030033), was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the Trump administration March 25 to designate two additional Venezuelan entities as foreign terrorist organizations.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said March 27 that he plans to force Senate floor votes the week of March 31 to April 4 on two resolutions aimed at preventing the sale of $8.8 billion in bombs and other munitions to Israel. Sanders cited concerns about the Gaza war, including civilian casualties and Israel's blockade of the strip. The Senate rejected similar Sanders legislation in November (see 2411210022).
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., reintroduced a bill March 25 that would require CBP to create a four-year pilot program to use data analytics to identify vessels evading sanctions and export controls.
The Senate voted 53-43 along party lines late March 26 to confirm former Assistant Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender as deputy treasury secretary. The Treasury Department issued a statement welcoming Faulkender’s confirmation; it didn't say whether he had been sworn in yet. At a Senate Finance Committee hearing on his nomination in early March, Faulkender said he wants to study whether changes should be made to the Biden administration’s October 2024 rule restricting outbound investment in China (see 2503060069).
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, both said March 26 that they welcome the Trump administration’s decision to add 82 entities, mostly tech firms in mainland China, to the Commerce Department’s Entity List (see 2503250075).
Reps. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Jim Himes, D-Conn., reintroduced a bill March 26 that would require the administration to develop a strategy to prevent the use of digital assets for illicit activity, including sanctions evasion. The Financial Technology Protection Act, which the House passed in the last Congress (see 2407230002), was referred to the House Financial Services Committee. Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., is expected to reintroduce a Senate companion.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved by voice vote March 27 a bill aimed at curbing China’s export of fentanyl precursor chemicals to Mexican drug traffickers.
Reps. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., introduced a bill March 24 that would sanction Pakistan Army Chief of Staff Gen. Asim Munir under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act for allegedly undermining democracy, such as by imprisoning political opponents. The Pakistan Democracy Act was referred to the House Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees.