The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs began a review of a final rule from the Bureau of Industry and Security related to its “national security license application review policy” for China, Russia and Venezuela. OIRA received the rule Sept. 17.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency extended the comment period on an information collection related to letters of attestation for exports of controlled medical exports, FEMA said in a notice released Sept. 17. The agency previously requested comments on the information collection, but said it received none (see 2007160025). FEMA plans to submit the information collection to the Office of Management and Budget for review and clearance. Comments are due Oct. 21.
The U.S. needs to increase funding to support “collaborative, pre-competitive R&D” in the semiconductor industry and offer “incentives” for boosting domestic production, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation reported Sept. 17. It should invite participation of semiconductor enterprises “headquartered in like-minded nations,” ITIF said. The increasing cost, complexity and scale required to innovate and manufacture semiconductors “means that no single nation or enterprise can go it alone,” it said. “In the face of challenges from China, allied cooperation in semiconductors is critical.” China views the semiconductor sector as the linchpin of its digital development and “broadest-scale economic growth plans,” ITIF said. It has shown it’s willing to use “every tool at its disposal in its efforts to develop a world-class semiconductor industry,” it said.
Two-way investment between the U.S. and China dropped to a nine-year low during the first half of 2020, the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations said in a Sept. 17 report prepared with data from the Rhodium Group. It also said growing tensions between the two sides are leading to an increase in U.S. investment reviews, specifically of past Chinese transactions.
The Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is seeking comments on potential changes to regulations on anti-money laundering programs, a notice released Sept. 16 said. The changes would require financial institutions to establish an “effective and reasonably designed” anti-money laundering program and would specify how that is defined. FinCEN said those types of programs assess and manage risks “as informed by a financial institution’s risk assessment” and anti-money laundering priorities “to be issued” by FinCEN. The changes would also outline reporting requirements for “information with a high degree of usefulness to government authorities.” The agency said the effort is intended to “modernize” its regulatory regime to address the “evolving threats of illicit finance.” Comments are due Nov. 16.
The Federal Register is experiencing delays publishing complex agency rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an “unusually” large number of documents submitted this year, said Katerina Horska, legal affairs and policy director for the Office of the Federal Register. Horska said the Federal Register typically publishes rules within three days of receiving them, but some “can take more than a month.”
The Bureau of Industry and Security is seeking comments on an information collection related to the Defense Production Act, BIS said in a notice released Sept. 15. The collection is related to the DPA's authority with regard to performance of contracts and orders “supporting national defense and emergency preparedness program requirements.” Comments are due Nov. 16.
The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls released on Sept. 15 its notifications to Congress of recently proposed export licenses. The 19 notifications, ranging from January through May, feature arms sales to numerous countries including the United Kingdom, Israel, Australia, Canada and Italy.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin accepting applications for relief payments from fishing industries impacted by Chinese retaliatory tariffs, USDA said in a notice released Sept. 9. The application period will run from Sept. 14 through Dec. 14 and will provide aid to “eligible U.S. commercial fishermen” that have suffered from a “loss of exports.” The USDA is also seeking comments on the notice, which details who is eligible for the payments and outlines the application process. Comments are due Nov. 13. The notice stems from a June order from President Donald Trump directing the administration to study the impacts of Chinese tariffs on U.S. seafood exports, including lobster (see 2006260012).
The State Department approved potential military sales to France and Spain worth nearly $600 million combined, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Sept. 2. Under the proposed sales, France would get four AE-2100D Turbo Prop engines and two “Multifunctional, Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminal Block Upgrade Two” worth about $350 million. Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, General Electric Aviation System, Raytheon and Viasat are the principal contractors. The sale to Spain includes 100 “IM-120C-7/8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles” and related equipment for $248.5 million. Raytheon Missiles and Defense is the prime contractor.