The Trump administration is looking to reduce barriers to U.S. exports of agricultural and energy products as part of its ongoing trade negotiations with India (see 2509100062), said Sergio Gor, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be U.S. ambassador to India.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced a bill Sept. 9 to impose property-blocking sanctions on Nigerian officials who permit or promote the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities.
The four lawmakers who lead the U.S. Helsinki Commission, also known as the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, urged the Trump administration last week to sanction additional Russian officials and private citizens involved in corruption or human rights abuses.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Sept. 10 that he’s working to increase support for his bill to require the executive branch to designate the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhood a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee unveiled legislation Sept. 10 that would consolidate the State Department’s sanctions activities into a new Sanctions Policy Bureau.
The House Appropriations Committee voted 34-28 Sept. 10 to approve a FY 2026 Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill that would provide $303 million for the Bureau of Industry and Security, up 59% from the FY 2025 enacted level. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science approved the bill in July (see 2507150089).
Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., introduced a bill Sept. 9 that would authorize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review and block foreign purchases of American real estate located near critical infrastructure, including drinking water facilities.
The House of Representatives passed legislation Sept. 9 that could lead to greater scrutiny of dual-use exports to China.
Two Republican senators took to the Senate floor this week to reiterate their support for increasing sanctions on Russia to pressure it to end its war against Ukraine.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which issued an interim final rule in March to revise its implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), is reviewing public comments on it to help write a final rule, Director Andrea Gacki said Sept. 9.