H.R. 4505

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4505 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4505

To strengthen enforcement of United States export controls by 
increasing the number of export control officers of the Bureau of 
Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce who are stationed 
in foreign regions.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 17, 2025

Ms. Kamlager-Dove (for herself, Mr. Huizenga, Mr. Meeks, and Mr. 
Shreve) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To strengthen enforcement of United States export controls by 
increasing the number of export control officers of the Bureau of 
Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce who are stationed 
in foreign regions.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Export Controls Enforcement Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND SENSE OF CONGRESS.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) The Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department 
of Commerce (hereinafter the ``Bureau'') uses end-use checks to 
verify that controlled items exported from the United States 
are used in accordance with United States license requirements 
and the Export Administration Regulations (parts 730-774 of 
title 15, Code of Federal Regulations) and each other export 
control policy under the administrative jurisdiction of the 
Bureau.
(2) The Bureau's export control officers conduct end-use 
checks in foreign regions to ensure that persons to a 
transaction comply with such requirements and regulations and 
do not divert controlled items to unauthorized users.
(3) The Bureau's export control officers are also 
responsible for liaising with governments and the private 
sector on the export controls policies under the administrative 
jurisdiction of the Bureau.
(4) Inconclusive or failed end-use checks can lead the 
Bureau to inaccurately added persons to watch lists, deny 
export privileges, or take enforcement or criminal action.
(5) In 2024, the Bureau processed over 45,000 license 
applications valued at over $500,000,000,000.
(6) In fiscal year 2024, the Bureau's export control 
officers conducted over 1,400 end-use checks in 60 countries.
(7) As of 2025, the Bureau has only 11 export control 
officers in foreign regions, with individual officers often 
covering multiple countries, and dozens of countries where no 
officer is assigned to them.
(b) Senses of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) end-use checks are critical for verifying the persons 
to a transaction, assessing the risk of unauthorized use or 
diversion of controlled items, and determining whether such 
items are being used according to United States regulations and 
licenses; and
(2) the United States needs more export control officers 
stationed in foreign regions to effectively prevent and catch 
illegal diversion of United States technologies and adequately 
enforce the export controls policies under the administrative 
jurisdiction of the Bureau.

SEC. 3. EXPORT CONTROL OFFICER PROGRAM.

(a) Establishment.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce, acting 
through the Under Secretary for Industry and Security, shall 
establish for a period of 5 years an Export Control Officer 
Program (hereinafter the ``Program'') to station not less than 
20 export control officers at United States diplomatic or 
consular posts.
(2) Program director.--
(A) Appointment.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Commerce shall appoint, from among the full-time 
equivalent employees of the Department of Commerce, a 
Director to lead the Program.
(B) Responsibilities.--The Director shall be 
responsible for overseeing the hiring of the export 
control officers in the Program and coordinating with 
the Secretary of State to strategically station the 
officers in a manner that ensures geographic coverage 
for every region of the world.
(b) Duties.--Each export control officer within the Program shall 
fulfill, within the geographic region the officer is stationed, the 
following duties:
(1) Managing and conducting end-use checks with persons 
involved in transactions of items subject to the export 
controls policies under the administrative jurisdiction of the 
Bureau, to improve the scope and effectiveness of such checks.
(2) Informing and advising United States diplomatic or 
consular posts on the export controls policies under the 
administrative jurisdiction of the Bureau.
(3) Performing industry outreach to enhance compliance with 
the export controls policies under the administrative 
jurisdiction of the Bureau.
(4) Liaising with foreign governments to enhance 
cooperation and coordination with the United States with 
respect to the export control policies under the administrative 
jurisdiction of the Bureau and the enforcement practices of the 
Bureau.
(5) Sharing information with the Bureau's officials 
regarding the enforcement challenges, trends, and priorities of 
the Bureau.
(6) Identifying the best targets with respect to who the 
Bureau should conduct end-use checks on.
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