Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., reintroduced a bill April 3 to ban exports of liquefied natural gas and crude oil to China, Iran, North Korea and Russia. Merkley said such exports could boost energy prices for Americans while helping foreign "adversaries." The Protecting American Households from Rising Energy Costs Act, which has two co-sponsors, was referred to the Senate Banking Committee. The bill didn't advance in the last Congress (see 2403010077).
Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J., reintroduced a bill March 31 that would require the administration to develop a strategy to block China and other “foreign adversaries” from buying goods and technologies to build, maintain or operate undersea cables.
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., reintroduced a bill April 3 to sanction Haitian political and economic elites involved in criminal activity.
Reps. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., and Joe Wilson, R-S.C., reintroduced a sanctions bill April 3 aimed at curbing North Korea’s support for Russia’s war machine.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee’s new task force on improving how the government handles foreign military sales (FMS) and export controls (see 2501220086 and 2502260047) held its first formal meeting April 2.
Rep. Bill Keating, D-Mass., reintroduced a bill March 31 aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining U.S. and allied technology that could be used to make unmanned aircraft.
The House Republican Study Committee unveiled a package of sanctions bills April 1 aimed at backing the Trump administration’s efforts to stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism.
Former Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., President Donald Trump’s nominee for U.S. ambassador to China, said April 3 that he will try to “increase the dialogue pace” on U.S.-China trade, including on agricultural products, if he’s confirmed.
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said April 2 that he will be disappointed if the Trump administration reaches a deal with China’s ByteDance that leaves the company in control of TikTok.
The Treasury Department’s recent sanctioning of a Chinese oil refinery for buying and refining Iranian crude (see 2503200014) was a "great first step" but should be expanded to other refineries to ensure Tehran's energy revenue is significantly reduced, a researcher told a congressional panel April 1.