US law grants Congressional oversight of export licence applications

US President Donald Trump has signed into law, 19 August, the Maintaining American Superiority by Improving Export Control Transparency Act.

The bill, which amends the 2018 Export Control Reform Act (50 USC 4815), ‘authorizes disclosures to Congress of each export control license application, clarifying the applicant, the recipient, and the decision made, and the compliance measures implemented to uphold U.S. export regulations,’ said Representative Ronny Jackson (R-TX), who co-sponsored the bill with Representative Sara Jacobs (D-CA), in a statement.

The bill states that ‘For each license application or other request for authorization, the name of the entity submitting the application, a brief description of the item (including the Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) and reason for control, if applicable), the name of the end-user, the end-user’s location, a value estimate, decision with respect to the license application or authorization, and the date of submission’ shall be disclosed, along with the ‘date, location, and result of any end-use checks’.

‘Today, President Trump took decisive action to secure America’s supply chain and prevent cutting-edge technology from being acquired by our most dangerous adversaries,’ said Rep Jackson, adding that with the bill, ‘we are securing the advanced technologies that keep our nation safe and ahead of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

‘This law is an important step in protecting American innovations, strengthening our defenses, and ensuring the United States remains the undisputed leader in a rapidly changing and increasingly hostile world.’

‘As our strategic competitors are working overtime to close the technology gap, the United States must remain vigilant in protecting the innovation that underpins our national security and economic leadership,’ said Senator Mark Warner, who co-sponsored the bill in the Senate. ‘This legislation strengthens oversight of our export control processes, increases transparency, and will help ensure that critical technologies don’t fall into the wrong hands. It’s an important step forward in modernizing how we safeguard emerging technologies while maintaining our competitive edge globally.’