The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas lifted its preliminary injunction against the enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act on Feb. 18, meaning CTA reporting requirements are now "once again back in effect," the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network said.
The Senate voted 51-45 along party lines late Feb. 18 to confirm investment firm leader Howard Lutnick as the next commerce secretary. Lutnick has pledged to make strong enforcement of export controls a “hallmark” of his tenure (see 2502050048). President Donald Trump formally nominated Lutnick for the position last month. Commerce official Jeremy Pelter had been serving as acting secretary for several weeks (see 2501210030).
The U.K. this week amended the entry for Eden Levi under its Global Human Rights sanctions regime to include his national ID number and date of birth. Levi is an Israeli national who was sanctioned for "threatening and perpetrating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinian individuals."
EU officials have agreed on a new package of sanctions against Russia, European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said Feb. 19. The measures will include more import and export restrictions, “tighter anti-circumvention measures,” and a “stronger crackdown” on Russia’s shadow fleet -- the ships Moscow uses to transport sanctioned goods. “The EU must remain united against the aggressor,” Dombrovskis said on social media platform X.
The State Department has designated eight Latin America-based criminal groups as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and Foreign Terrorist Organizations, the agency said in a pair of Federal Register notices released this week. The designations, which took effect Feb. 6, target Tren de Aragua, Mara Salvatrucha (also known as MS-13), Cartel de Sinaloa, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, Carteles Unidos, Cartel del Noreste, Cartel del Golfo, and La Nueva Familia Michoacana.
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).