Lawmaker Says BIS Failed to Provide Licensing Info, Not Complying With Congressional Oversight

Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said the Bureau of Industry and Security isn’t complying with congressional oversight requirements because it hasn’t yet provided him with information about its China licensing process that he requested in November. After McCaul requested “detailed information” on how BIS licenses U.S. technology to Chinese entities, BIS told him the data was “too difficult and time-consuming to compile,” McCaul said Feb. 16. But McCaul said BIS allowed “the same information to be shared with the media,” referencing a Feb 11 Reuters report on Huawei restrictions (see 2102120008). McCaul called BIS’s actions “completely inappropriate and only furthers my concerns that BIS has not woken up to the growing threat of the Chinese Community Party.” A BIS spokesperson didn’t comment.

McCaul, ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he and other lawmakers plan to thoroughly question President Joe Biden’s nominee to lead BIS, who has not yet been named (see 2102120034). “The scrutiny [Commerce] Secretary [Gina] Raimondo received during her confirmation process related to her watered-down responses on Huawei export control policy will be much greater for the yet-to-be named nominee for Under Secretary at BIS,” McCaul said. “Moreover, we expect full transparency from all BIS appointees relating to their prior employment to ensure they are conflict-free as it relates to export controls, entity listings, licensing decisions, and other related matters. Tough talk on China is worthless if it’s not accompanied with impactful actions.”