Reps. Young Kim, R-Calif., and Colin Allred, D-Texas, introduced a bill last week that would authorize the U.S. president to impose property-blocking sanctions on People’s Republic of China (PRC) entities that harm the environment or public health in Africa.

An Iran-backed militia’s rocket attack that injured U.S. troops in Iraq this week underscores the need for the Biden administration to increase enforcement of Iran oil sanctions to reduce Tehran’s funding for terrorism, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said in a statement Aug. 5.

Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., and Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., co-chairs of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus, introduced a resolution last week calling for new U.S. sanctions to pressure Venezuelan ruler Nicolas Maduro to stop trying to “steal” the country’s recent presidential election.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., introduced a bill Aug. 1 that would prevent Chinese Communist Party agents or businesses from buying real estate next to U.S. federal land. Her legislation was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and is co-sponsored by Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo.; Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho. The bill is a companion to legislation Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., introduced in June (see 2406120055).

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., Aug. 1 encouraged U.S. allies and partners to impose more sanctions on those waging Sudan’s civil war.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is concerned that Chinese Communist Party-backed companies may be “exploiting” the U.S. bankruptcy process to obtain American companies’ sensitive and proprietary information, the panel wrote in a new report accompanying its version of the FY 2025 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a frequent critic of Saudi Arabia, introduced a joint resolution July 30 to disapprove a possible $2.8 billion military sale to the kingdom. The resolution was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The sale, which the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced July 23, includes “follow-on logistics support and services” for defense-related hardware and parts (see 2407240002).

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, urged the Biden administration July 31 to speed up the delivery of critical weapon systems to Israel following Hezbollah’s recent attack that killed 12 children in Israel’s Golan Heights.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced several bills this week targeting human rights violations and foreign investment by China.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced a bill this week aimed at countering the use of alternative financial systems by China, Russia and other "countries of concern" to evade U.S. sanctions.