The State Department approved a potential $510 million military sale to Israel, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said last week. The sale includes munitions guidance kits, munitions support and related equipment. The principal contractor will be Boeing, although portions of the guidance kits may be transferred from U.S. government stock.

The Pentagon this week issued an updated "decision matrix" to help Defense Department program managers review fundamental research proposals for signs of possible foreign influence and mitigate those risks. The guidance outlines certain activities "prohibited by law" that would bar researchers from receiving Pentagon funding and "describes conditions under which mitigation is required or suggested prior to receiving" the funding.

The Federal Maritime Commission is reorganizing some of its functions by "revising certain delegations of authority from the Commission, updating descriptions of organization components, and making minor related technical amendments," it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled to take effect June 20.

The State Department approved two possible military sales, to Australia and Italy, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said this week.

The State Department approved a possible $215 million military sale to the Netherlands, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said last week. The sale includes air-to-ground missiles and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin.

The Defense Department is reviewing whether the Australia-U.K.-U.S. (AUKUS) security partnership that began under the Biden administration is aligned with President Donald Trump’s “America First” agenda, a defense spokesperson said June 13.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking public comments on an information collection for the agency’s surveys and assessments of U.S. industrial sectors and technologies. The survey data provides "needed information to benchmark industry performance and raise awareness of diminishing manufacturing capabilities,” BIS said in a Federal Register notice. Comments are due Aug. 12.

The State Department approved a possible $325 million military sale to Kuwait, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said this week. The sale includes "M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank System Sustainment Support and related equipment," and the principal contractor will be General Dynamics Land System.

Taiwanese Minister of Economic Affairs Jyh-Huei Kuo visited Texas last month to see two semiconductor facilities and discuss "enhancing" U.S.-Taiwan trade relations, Taiwan's International Trade Administration said last week. Kuo visited the opening of GlobalWafers’ new plant in Sherman, Texas, and traveled to Houston to visit Foxconn’s server plant, where he also hosted business roundtables with Houston-based Taiwanese business leaders.

The Energy Department last week approved a final authorization for liquefied natural gas exports to non-free trade agreement countries from the Port Arthur LNG Phase II energy project in Texas. The agency said this is the Trump administration's first final LNG export approval "and marks another step in restoring regular order to LNG export permitting -- reversing the previous administration’s pause and delivering on the president’s pledge to unleash American energy." Once completed in 2027, Port Arthur LNG Phase II is projected to export 1.91 billion cubic feet per day, the Energy Department said.