Arkansas’ six-member congressional delegation urged U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Nov. 6 to delay implementation of the new U.S.-EU trade deal (see 2507280027 and 2508210017) until the EU revises its deforestation reporting requirements. In a letter to Greer, the lawmakers reiterated their view that the regulation would harm American timber exports (see 2503170052). Greer’s office didn't respond to a request for comment.
Reps. Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., both members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a resolution Nov. 4 urging the Trump administration to sanction individuals and entities responsible for “severe violations” of religious freedom in Nigeria. The resolution was referred to the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees.
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., on Nov. 6 introduced as a stand-alone bill his proposal to require U.S. manufacturers of advanced AI chips to make their products available to American firms before selling them to U.S. arms embargoed countries. The measure was referred to the Senate Banking Committee. His proposal was included as an amendment to the Senate-passed FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, but it's unclear if it will make it into the final version amid opposition from the U.S. semiconductor industry (see 2509050056 and 2510240052).
Reps. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif., ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on South and Central Asia, which oversees the Bureau of Industry and Security, and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, introduced a bill Nov. 7 that would prohibit the executive branch from charging fees for export licenses.
A bipartisan group of 12 senators led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., introduced a resolution Nov. 6 welcoming the Trump administration’s recent decision to sanction two major Russian oil companies to pressure Moscow to seek peace with Ukraine (see 2510220050).
Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., introduced a resolution Nov. 6 calling for the U.S. government to continue denying China access to advanced chips and chipmaking equipment to maintain the American advantage in AI.
Eight Republican senators told President Donald Trump on Nov. 6 that they applaud his decision to withhold the most advanced U.S. computing chips from China, including Nvidia’s Blackwell (see 2511030031).
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., criticized the Trump administration Nov. 6 for removing the U.S. arms embargo on Cambodia, saying the decision ignored “broad bipartisan concern about the Cambodian government's human rights abuses and its deepening ties to Beijing.”
Sens. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., introduced a bill Nov. 6 that would create a program to identify and sanction foreign traffickers and manufacturers of counterfeit drugs and drug ingredients.
The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa said Nov. 6 that he’s “deeply concerned” that Iran’s oil exports are reportedly increasing despite the Trump administration’s efforts to cut a key source of funding for Tehran’s terrorist proxies.