A new congressional bill wants to limit the influence of foreign adversaries on American technology.
Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Export Control Enforcement and Enhancement Act, which would prevent sensitive American technology from being sold to foreign adversaries.
The bill would prevent the sale of this American technology to states listed on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List, which includes foreign individuals, companies, and organizations that may pose national security threats.
Entities from countries such as China, Russia, and Iran currently appear on the list.
Currently, a U.S. interagency body, the End-User Review Committee, identifies foreign adversaries to add to the list; however, there is no timeline for the decision-making process.
The bill proposal would allow any committee member to submit or amend the list, rather than go through the current internal review process.
Blackburn’s bill would speed up the process by requiring committee members to vote within 30 days on whether to amend the list.
The committee chairman would be prevented from overriding other committee members’ decisions.
The 30-day voting period can be delayed if all committee members agree, the bill proposal says, adding that the deadline can be extended to 45 days if more information is needed and the committee chair and the member who submitted the proposal agree to the extension.
According to the Tennessee senator, “American technologies must be protected from those who threaten our interests.”
“The Export Control Enforcement and Enhancement Act would ensure the Entity List is a fast, decisive, and enforceable tool for denying U.S. adversaries access to our technology,” she said.
Representative Ann Wagner (R-MO-02) introduced the House’s version in March.
“For nearly 30 years, the Department of Commerce’s Entity List has been a crucial tool in ensuring foreign adversaries do not gain access to sensitive American technologies and products. However, nations that wish to harm the United States are constantly changing their tactics, creating illicit networks to evade U.S. export controls,” Wagner said.
“By implementing a thirty-day clock on proposed additions, removals, or other modifications to the Entity List, our government will be able quickly address any efforts by our adversaries to cheat the system and obtain superior, American-made technology,” she added.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
Photo “Marsha Blackburn” by Marsha Blackburn.
