The Bureau of Industry and Security is facing a backlog of export license applications and a barrage of questions from industry after applications were put on hold earlier this month, although the agency hopes to see processing slowly return to normal as political appointees are put in place, Export Compliance Daily has learned.
Emily Benson, who has worked for the Commerce Department since July as a senior adviser for trade and technology policy issues, is leaving the agency to join an advisory firm focused on geopolitics and technology, she announced on LinkedIn. Benson said she plans to continue working on “all things tech and trade, from export controls and AI to investment screening and supply chain dynamics.”
Rep. Abraham Hamadeh, R-Ariz., introduced a bill Feb. 13 to redesignate the Houthis, also known as Ansarallah, as a foreign terrorist organization, subjecting the Yemen-based group to additional sanctions. The legislation was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. The bill, which is a companion to a measure that Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reintroduced Jan. 13 (see 2501150011), would codify an executive order President Donald Trump signed Jan. 22 (see 2501230002).
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Feb. 17 that he believes the Senate can still reach a compromise on legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court for issuing arrest warrants against Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, reintroduced a bill Feb. 13 that would require regular reports to Congress on where licensed dual-use goods are being sent abroad. Those reports would contain detailed information on export license applications, including who is applying, who the recipient is, the outcome of the application, and what compliance measures are in place to ensure adherence to U.S. export regulations. The Maintaining American Superiority by Improving Export Control Transparency Act, which is intended to aid congressional oversight, was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The full House passed the bill in September, in the previous Congress (see 2409100024).
The U.K. general sanctions license permitting humanitarian activity in Syria expired Feb. 14, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation announced. The license previously allowed humanitarian organizations to undertake activities needed to "facilitate humanitarian assistance in relation to earthquake relief efforts in Syria and Turkey." The agency earlier this month issued a separate license permitting certain humanitarian activity in Syria (see 2502120030).
The Council of the European Union on Feb. 18 renewed its "restrictive measures framework" on Zimbabwe for another year, until Feb. 20, 2026. The measures include an embargo on arms and equipment that can be used for internal repression. However, the council delisted the last remaining entity on the sanctions list, the Zimbabwe Defence Industries.
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Companies in the Czech Republic plan to ask the Bureau of Industry and Security to loosen restrictions on U.S. exports of advanced artificial intelligence chips that were put in place as part of a BIS rule in January that tightened controls for nations around the world.
Companies shouldn’t expect a significant amount of early enforcement action from the U.K.’s new Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation, which isn’t yet a finished product, its leader, Anna Deibel-Jung, said last week.