Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking member Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., tried and failed Dec. 18 to have the Senate vote on a bill that could lead to additional sanctions on China for providing dual-use items to Russia’s war against Ukraine (see 2508020001).
House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., led 13 other House Democrats in introducing a bill Dec. 18 that would block the sale of advanced AI chips to China and other U.S. arms embargoed countries.
Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he sent a “friendly note” to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., on Dec. 16 indicating that he hopes the upper chamber can take up a bill to sanction officials who undermine democracy in the Republic of Georgia.
A group of seven Democratic senators led by Senate Banking Committee ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., asked the Commerce Department Dec. 12 for more information about President Donald Trump’s decision to allow Nvidia to sell advanced H200 AI chips to China (see 2512080059), including how the agency will ensure that “restricted end users,” such as entities linked to China’s military, don't get to use the semiconductors.
Gregory LoGerfo, President Donald Trump’s nominee for counterterrorism coordinator at the State Department, said Dec. 11 that he would encourage other countries to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, said Dec. 11 the U.S. should designate Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Although his bill to restrict exports of advanced AI chips didn't make it into the final FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which lawmakers unveiled this week (see 2512080048), Sen. Jim Banks, R-Ind., said late Dec. 9 that he's not giving up on his proposal.
A host of lawmakers criticized President Donald Trump’s decision this week to allow Nvidia to export its H200 chips to China (see 2512080059), saying it will help Beijing catch up to the U.S. in AI. Others were sympathetic or non-committal.
President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social late Dec. 8 that he has decided to allow the sale of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to “approved customers” in China.
House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement on a final FY 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that includes legislation to limit U.S. outbound investment in China but omits a Senate proposal to restrict exports of advanced AI chips.