The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls updated its online application with a new option for industry to make DDTC speaker requests, the agency announced this week. The Defense Export Controls and Compliance System now includes a “user-friendly form” for industry and others to request DDTC event speakers for “outreach engagements,” including conferences, public meetings, trade shows and “widely-attended workshops and events,” the agency said. “If your organization would benefit from having a DDTC subject matter expert speak at your next outreach event, be sure to use this form for all future requests.” Requesters must be enrolled in DECCS to access the forms.

A bill recently passed by a Texas Senate committee could allow the Texas attorney general to submit information about non-notified investment transactions to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., Squire Patton said in a May 12 client alert. SB-2142, passed unanimously by the Texas Senate Committee on State Affairs April 25, is the “first of its kind creating a monitoring mechanism at the state level” for foreign direct investments, the firm said.

The Bureau of Industry and Security extended by 30 days its public comment period for an information collection relating to technology letters of explanation (see 2303070026). The letters provide the agency with a description of a technology in a license application, allowing BIS technical staff to "evaluate the impact of licensing the export on United States national security and foreign policy.”

The State Department approved a potential military sale to Germany worth about $8.5 billion, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said May 11. The sale includes “CH-47F Chinook Helicopters” and related equipment, and the principal contractor will be Boeing Helicopter.

The Federal Maritime Commission on May 11 alerted industry that several of its applications are experiencing issues with email notifications. The affected applications are Form 1, Form 18, OTI Renewals, Form 65 Renewals, eMonitoring, eAgreements and BCL Fileroom, it said. The FMC Office of Information Technology is troubleshooting.

The Bureau of Industry and Security extended for another 30 days its public comment period for an information collection involving voluntary self-disclosures of anti-boycott violations (see 2303060004). The new deadline is June 12.

The U.S. should deploy “targeted and responsible” trade measures to restrict Chinese access to sensitive technologies, not ones that cut off a broad range of transactions between American and Chinese firms, U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Clark said during an industry conference this week.

CBP seized eight pounds of marijuana headed to Bermuda a week after it seized 72 pounds of marijuana headed for Ireland, the agency said in a pair of notices.

The State Department approved two potential military sales to Poland and Slovakia worth more than $350 million combined, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said May 9. The $124.7 million sale to Poland includes “Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods and related equipment,” and the principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin. The $250 million sale to Slovakia includes “M1278A1/A2 Heavy Gun Carriers Joint Light Tactical Vehicles” and related equipment, and the principal contractors will be Oshkosh Corp. and Oshkosh Defense.

The Department of Defense this week released its National Defense Science and Technology Strategy, outlining the agency's technology priorities and goals along with recommendations for “the future of the defense research and engineering enterprise.” The strategy says technology “protection” is “vital” for the U.S. military to maintain its advantages. “While we must accept some degree of risk to catalyze innovation, we must also protect sensitive technologies and military programs from theft, diversion, and exploitation by our strategic competitors,” the agency said. “We will build our technological edge using carefully targeted controls and by working closely with our allies and partners to jointly and effectively protect our collective research, development, and innovation efforts, including warfighting concepts and capabilities during joint experimentation.”