GlobalWafers plans to build a new semiconductor factory in Texas, with construction starting later this year, the Taiwan-based company said June 27. It expects the 3.2 million square-foot factory, the largest of its kind in the U.S., to eventually produce 1.2 million wafers per month in what will be the first new such facility built in the U.S. in over two decades.

The State Department is seeking public comments on an information collection related to Part 130 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which deals with political contributions, fees and commissions relating to sales of defense articles and defense services. Under the ITAR, defense exporters shipping certain goods worth more than $500,000 to a foreign armed service, international organization or others must notify the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls about certain political contributions or fees associated with the sale, the agency said. Comments are due July 28. DDTC last year saw an uptick in Part 130 violations (see 2109290056).

The recently revised outbound investment screening bill, proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers this month (see 2206140048), makes it “more likely” that new investment-related export control procedures will become law, Sidley Austin said in an alert. The firm expects new outbound investment controls to be passed as part of the expansive, bipartisan China legislation, as part of a future bill or potentially as an executive order by the White House.

The State Department last week approved up to $450 million in additional emergency military assistance to Ukraine. The move will authorize the U.S.’s 13th drawdown of defense articles, services and military training from DOD, the State Department said.

The Federal Maritime Commission on June 24 alerted industry that certain provisions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act took immediate effect when the bill became law on June 16 (see 2206160064). Some of the provisions that already took effect involve demurrage and detention invoices, which apply to “all charges and invoices over which the Commission has existing jurisdiction,” the FMC’s general counsel said in a memo. The FMC said “parties with questions related to their obligations should consult with their legal counsel.”

The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by a week a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced June 24. The ports had planned to begin imposing the fee in November 2021 but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until July 1.

The State Department approved a potential $22.7 million military sale to NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 22. The sale includes precision guided munitions and related equipment, and Boeing and Raytheon Missile Systems are the principal contractors for production. The principal contractor for integration is “unknown and will be determined during contract negotiations,” DSCA said.

The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls reminded industry that its Defense Export Control and Compliance System registration and licensing applications will be unavailable due to a system upgrade (see 2206140014). The application will be down from 2 p.m. EDT June 24 through 8 a.m. EDT June 27 as the agency releases its updated Licensing 2.0 application.

The State Department approved a potential $94 million sale of military equipment to Australia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said June 21. The sale includes AGM-88E2 AARGM E2 missiles and related equipment. The principal contractor will be Northrop Grumman Information Systems.

In its recently issued Forced Labor Enforcement Strategy, DHS said CBP is making use of the Bureau of Industry and Security's export enforcement arm to identify Xinjiang entities that are involved in forced labor. CBP uses a “range of sources and research tools, both public and non-public,” to identify the entities, DHS said in its strategy document, including the interagency end-user review committee, which selects the parties that are added to the Commerce Department’s Entity List.