Legislative Activity

This resolution officially designates April as Community College Month to celebrate the vital role of over 1,000 community colleges nationwide. It recognizes these institutions for providing accessible higher education, workforce training, and significant contributions to the U.S. economy. The bill highlights their affordability, local presence, and impact on student success across the country.

The Protect our Pets Act strengthens federal laws against animal cruelty by significantly increasing penalties for animal crushing offenses. This legislation also establishes a new federal crime prohibiting the abandonment or endangerment of domesticated animals on federal land. These measures aim to provide stronger protections for animals across the nation.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to reverse specific energy-related tax modifications made by Public Law 119-21. It retroactively extends and modifies several key clean energy incentives, including the Commercial Buildings Deduction, the New Energy Efficient Home Credit, and credits related to clean hydrogen and electricity production. The overall effect is to make certain energy efficiency and clean energy tax benefits permanent or extend their availability.

The Interagency Coordination in Export Controls Act of 2026 strengthens national security by mandating closer collaboration between the Departments of State, Commerce, and Defense to align export control lists and streamline the rulemaking process. The bill also requires a comprehensive evaluation of China’s military-civil fusion strategy to identify and mitigate risks associated with the transfer of sensitive U.S. technology. Through these measures, the Act ensures a more unified and responsive approach to managing export controls and protecting critical American interests.

The Biological Intellectual Property Protection Act of 2025 aims to safeguard sensitive U.S. biotechnology by controlling the export of synthetic DNA and RNA sequences. This bill establishes a license requirement for transferring these digital sequences to foreign entities of concern, particularly those linked to adversaries like the People's Republic of China. Congress finds this action necessary to prevent intellectual property theft that supports foreign military modernization and strategic technology development.

The USA 6G Global Leadership Act establishes the national interest in the U.S. leading the global development of 6G technology to counter unfair practices by competitors like China. The bill directs the State Department to coordinate diplomatic efforts, prioritize projects using trusted vendors in developing nations, and develop a comprehensive strategy for U.S. dominance in 6G. This legislation aims to ensure American companies compete effectively and shape international telecommunications standards.

This bill amends the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to establish a ten-year statute of limitations for both civil and criminal export control violations. This ensures that authorities have up to a decade from the date of an offense to initiate enforcement actions or file criminal charges.

The BIS IT Modernization Act mandates a comprehensive overhaul of the Bureau of Industry and Security's (BIS) technology systems through fiscal year 2030. This modernization aims to leverage advanced tools like AI and data analysis to speed up export licensing and enhance supply chain tracking. The goal is to improve national security by better identifying and tracking entities involved in illicit trade, particularly concerning adversaries like China and Russia. Ultimately, the Act requires a unified, secure IT environment to boost efficiency and data sharing capabilities across government and industry partners.

This bill, the "Stop Stealing our Chips Act," establishes a new whistleblower incentive and protection program within the Department of Commerce. It rewards individuals who provide original information leading to successful enforcement actions against violations of U.S. export control laws, particularly concerning advanced AI chips. The legislation also prohibits employers from retaliating against whistleblowers who report these violations.

The Deterring American AI Model Theft Act of 2026 aims to protect proprietary, closed-source Artificial Intelligence models owned by U.S. entities from theft by foreign adversaries. It establishes new legal restrictions and penalties targeting "model extraction attacks" used by designated "entities of concern" to replicate advanced AI capabilities. The bill mandates government assessments, public reporting, and grants the President authority to impose sanctions against those found violating these provisions.

The BIS STRENGTH Act establishes a temporary, five-year authority for the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to hire up to 25 highly qualified external experts to fill critical, hard-to-fill expertise gaps. This allows BIS to bypass standard civil service hiring rules to quickly secure specialized talent needed for national security and technology handling missions. The appointments are limited in duration, subject to a high pay cap, and require regular reporting to Congress on their impact.

The Semiconductor Technology Resilience, Integrity, and Defense Enhancement Act (STRIDE Act) aims to protect U.S. technological leadership by coordinating with allies to secure the global semiconductor supply chain against adversarial control, particularly from the Chinese Communist Party. The bill mandates the State Department to align export controls and establish trusted supplier networks with key semiconductor partners. It also outlines consequences, including enhanced export restrictions, for nations that fail to prevent technology transfer to countries of concern.

The Protecting American Competition Act of 2026 updates export control procedures by requiring special consideration for initial export licenses to new recipients. It mandates that the Under Secretary for Industry and Security track and report annually to Congress on these initial licenses versus subsequent applications for similar items to the same end user. This legislation aims to provide greater transparency regarding the first-time approval of controlled item exports.

The Strengthening Export Controls Compliance Act enhances the enforcement of U.S. export control laws through increased investigative authority and significantly higher penalties for violations. The bill mandates that exporters implement formal compliance programs and extends recordkeeping requirements to ten years. Furthermore, it establishes a formal voluntary disclosure program and requires increased compliance assistance and outreach from the Department of Commerce to U.S. businesses.

This bill, the Bureau of Industry and Security License Administration Enhancement Act, aims to strengthen U.S. export control processes. It mandates stricter procedures for handling certain export licenses and establishes clear standards for license denials against foreign adversaries. Furthermore, the Act expands and formalizes technical advisory committees to better inform the Commerce Department on critical and emerging technologies.

The Export Control Enforcement and Enhancement Act establishes an expedited 30-day voting process for the End-User Review Committee to modify the Entity List. This legislation empowers committee members to directly propose additions or changes to the list, ensuring timely responses to entities that pose risks to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests. By limiting the Chair's ability to override decisions, the bill promotes a more efficient and transparent framework for managing export restrictions.

The Baltic Security Assessment Act of 2025 affirms the critical importance of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to U.S. national security amidst Russian aggression. This bill mandates that the Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense deliver a comprehensive report to Congress detailing emerging military, cyber, and political threats to the Baltic states. The report must also recommend specific actions to enhance U.S. and NATO defense cooperation and bolster Baltic resilience.

The Multilateral Alignment of Technology Controls on Hardware (MATCH) Act aims to protect U.S. national security by restricting adversary access to advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The bill mandates diplomatic efforts to align export controls with allied nations and establishes a framework to impose strict U.S. regulations if those partners fail to implement sufficient safeguards. By targeting specific entities and facilities in countries of concern, the legislation seeks to close gaps in the current export control regime and maintain America’s technological advantage.

The Export Dispute Resolution Act streamlines the interagency review process for export license applications involving countries under comprehensive U.S. arms embargoes. It grants the Committee Chair the authority to resolve disputes when a majority vote cannot be reached, ensuring decisive action on sensitive export matters.

The Export Controls Enforcement Act addresses the critical shortage of overseas personnel responsible for verifying that controlled U.S. exports are used as intended. This bill establishes a new, five-year Export Control Officer Program to significantly increase the number of officers stationed abroad. These officers will conduct essential end-use checks, advise foreign partners, and help prevent the diversion of sensitive American technology.