Senate Intelligence Bill Targets Sanctions Evasion, Enforcement

Several provisions relating to sanctions and export controls are included in the Senate version of the FY 2025 Intelligence Authorization Act, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence said in a bill summary released last week.

The legislation would increase oversight of China’s “attempts to evade sanctions,” the summary says. It would also improve sanctions enforcement against “terrorist and ransomware organizations.”

Language in the bill would enhance “insight” into the Venezuelan government’s relationship with state sponsors of terrorism and foreign terrorist organizations. Venezuela is on the State Department’s list of countries that are not cooperating with U.S. anti-terrorism efforts (see 2305220022). The U.S. can’t authorize certain defense exports to countries on that list.

The bill also would direct the intelligence community to identify China’s “plans, intentions and timelines relating to illicit uses of biotechnologies.” The leaders of the Senate committee urged Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo in February to strengthen biotechnology export controls, saying a lack of such restriction is allowing China to acquire “massive amounts of U.S. data and innovation” and use them “to develop weapons and technologies for nefarious ends" (see 2402290066).

The bill, which the committee approved by a 17-0 vote, now heads to the full Senate. The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hasn't yet announced when it will take up its version of the legislation.