The leaders of the House Select Committee on China asked DOJ last week to investigate the Drone Advocacy Alliance for illegally lobbying on behalf of, and promoting the “interests of,” sanctioned Chinese drone company DJI, which also is on the Commerce Department’s Entity List. Reps. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., said the alliance is “funded and maintained” by DJI, and may be violating filing requirements under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
U.S. lawmakers should finish pending legislation to restrict outbound investment to China so it doesn't leave the job of controlling such capital flows solely to the executive branch, a congressionally mandated commission heard last week.
The U.K. last week updated a general license and guidance involving its price cap and servicing restrictions on Russian oil. The country’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation said the changes offer more clarity on certain exclusions and exceptions under the price cap, including by updating page six of the general license to clarify what type of services can be provided with Russian oil purchased at or below the cap. The agency also updated sections 4.1, 4.2 and 4.4 of its price cap guidance.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control deleted two aircraft from its Specially Designated Nationals List that were originally added for their ties to designated Iranian airlines Mahan Air and Pouya Air. One removed plane has aircraft registration number EP-MND (linked to Mahan air), the other is EP-GOM (linked to Pouya Air). The agency didn't release more information.
The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission should push Congress to devote more funding to the Bureau of Industry and Security, Commissioner Michael Kuiken said during a commission hearing last week.
The U.S. government should combine its various export control and sanctions lists into two distinct lists, which could allow the government to better implement trade restrictions and improve industry compliance, a congressional commission heard this week. The commission also discussed whether U.S. export control agencies should have to release more information about their licensing decisions, with one witness saying more transparency would increase business certainty, while another said it would discourage candor between the government and exporters.
The U.K.’s Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation this week sanctioned three people with ties to al-Shabaab, the Somalia-based and al-Qaida-linked terrorist group. The designations mirror an earlier announcement made by the U.N. Security Council (see 2405220012) and target Abdikadir Mohamed Abdikadir, Mohamed Mohamud Mire and Mohamed Omar Mohamed.
A December executive order that gave the U.S. broader authority to sanction financial institutions involved in shipping goods to Russia has had a “meaningful impact” on Russia’s military industrial supply chains so far, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said this week.
The U.S. government should re-examine its export controls for aviation and shipbuilding to slow China’s advances in those dual-use sectors, a congressionally mandated commission heard May 23. The government also should consider more restrictions on Huawei and improve its efforts to get allies on board with U.S. export controls, the panel was told.
Samuel Moss, former attorney adviser with the Treasury Department, has joined the Pentagon as an associate general counsel, he announced on LinkedIn. Moss previously worked on issues related to sanctions and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. at Treasury (see 2405060003).