Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced a bill Sept. 12 that would require the Commerce, Defense and Treasury departments to notify each other when adding a foreign entity or person to an export control or sanctions list. The proposed Sanctions Lists Harmonization Act is intended to improve coordination among the agencies and “prevent bad actors, such as Communist China, Russia and Iran, from taking advantage of a disjointed policy,” Rubio said. The measure, which was referred to the Senate Banking Committee, is a companion to a bill the House passed Sept. 9 (see 2409100024).

Sen. George Helmy, D-N.J., who formally took office Sept. 9, has joined the Senate Foreign Relations, Banking and Finance committees, according to his initial website. Helmy was appointed to temporarily fill the Senate seat of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., who resigned from the chamber last month (see 2407240056). Helmy's new tenure will be short, as he is not running in the November election to replace Menendez.

The Biden administration opposes a House bill that would permanently add the agriculture secretary to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review agricultural transactions (see 2409050011), the White House Office of Management and Budget said Sept. 11.

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., introduced legislation this week that would limit American outbound investment in Chinese technology and give the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. more power to police Chinese investment in the U.S.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, denied claims that President Joe Biden has been too soft on Iran, saying the Biden administration has imposed more sanctions on Iran than its predecessor.

Four members of the House Financial Services Committee asked the Treasury Department last week for an update on the proposed acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan-based Nippon Steel, saying they’re concerned the Biden administration’s review of the deal may have been improperly influenced by politics.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., introduced a bill Sept. 9 that would end all U.S. petroleum cooperation and petroleum-related trade with Venezuela until that country's ruler, Nicolas Maduro, concedes he lost Venezuela's recent presidential election.

The House passed a bill Sept. 9 that would cut off top Chinese leaders and their family members from the U.S. financial system if China takes military action against Taiwan.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who chairs the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, announced Sept. 5 that officials from four large U.S. computing chip manufacturers will testify at a hearing next week on Russia’s efforts to evade U.S. export controls.

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., introduced a bill last week that would permanently add the agriculture secretary to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. to review agricultural transactions.