Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., reintroduced a bill on March 11 to sanction those who are complicit in or materially support attacks on international shipping by the Yemen-based Houthis.
Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., and Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., reintroduced a bill March 11 to prohibit most private-sector retirement plans from investing in companies based in “foreign adversary” countries, including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea.
The U.S. shouldn't ease sanctions on Russia if Moscow accepts a proposed 30-day ceasefire with Ukraine, two members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., announced March 11 that they have reintroduced a bill that would prohibit U.S. arms sales to the United Arab Emirates until the UAE ends its material support for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia group. The lawmakers have argued that the UAE’s support is perpetuating Sudan’s civil war, which pits the RSF against the Sudanese Armed Forces. The bill announcement came a few days after House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said he will try to block any major U.S. arms sales to the UAE due to its support for the RSF.
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, asked the Treasury Department on March 10 to provide the legal basis for its decision to exclude U.S. citizens and companies from implementation of the Corporate Transparency Act.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch, R-Idaho, and ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., introduced a bill last week aimed at curbing China’s export of fentanyl precursor chemicals to Mexican drug traffickers.
A House Republican proposal to pass a temporary government spending measure, or continuing resolution (CR), for the rest of FY 2025 would prevent Congress from weighing in on export control policy, such as by opposing the easing of restrictions on Russia, according to a memo released March 8 by Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, reintroduced a bill March 6 to authorize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review foreign purchases or leases of American farmland that exceed $5 million or 320 acres. The Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act was referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee and the House Agriculture, Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, and Energy and Commerce committees.
Sens. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., reintroduced a bill March 6 that would bar individuals and entities controlled by China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying agricultural land and businesses near U.S. military bases or other sensitive sites. The Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act would also add USDA to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. for agricultural transactions. The bill, whose co-sponsors include Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., was referred to the Senate Banking Committee.
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., reintroduced a bill March 5 that would authorize sanctions on the Yemen-based Houthis for human rights abuses, including unlawful killing, torture, prolonged and arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, hostage-taking of U.S. nationals abroad, use of child soldiers and gender-based discrimination.