As of October 1, 2025, the US government partially shut down as federal funding lapsed for numerous US government agencies, including those engaged in export controls, sanctions, and foreign investment. As a result, companies should expect licensing processing and reviews to be significantly delayed. Investigative activity and enforcement actions related to US national security, however, will continue as agencies and federal workers deemed “essential” will continue to carry out such operations. Below is an overview…
On July 22, 2025, the US Senate unanimously passed the Maintaining American Superiority by Improving Export Control Transparency Act (H.R. 1316), sending it to President Trump for his signature. The Act would amend the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (“ECRA”) to require the Secretary of Commerce to submit an annual report to Congress on license applications, enforcement actions, and other requests for authorization handled by the US Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security…
US Congressman Ronny Jackson has introduced the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 (Act). This Act highlights actions allegedly taken by the South African government that have strained relations between the two nations, and would require the President, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Treasury, to submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees on senior South African government officials that meet the criteria for the imposition of…
Bipartisan legislation advancing in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives known as the “BIOSECURE Act” (“the Act”) has the potential to significantly restrict the ability of biotechnology companies to collaborate with certain Chinese companies without losing the ability to contract with the U.S. government. Following the same model that was used to target Chinese telecommunications companies in the late 2010s, the Act would prohibit federal “executive agencies” from contracting with or extending…