Export Controls: Better Interagency Coordination Needed on Satellite Exports

摘要

Since 1992, the Departments of State and Commerce have largely shared licensing responsibility for the export of commercial communications satellites. The Department of Defense (DOD) plays a role in these exports by reviewing export applications for the licensing agencies and by monitoring sensitive launch activities. Reports that U.S. satellite companies had provided China with sensitive technology useful for improving China's ballistic missiles focused congressional attention on the issue of satellite exports and led the House of Representatives to form the Select Committee on U.S. National Security and Military/Commercial Concerns With the People's Republic of China. Troubled by these reported transfers and concerned that the 1996 shift of most aspects of licensing responsibility for satellite-related exports from State to Commerce had weakened controls over these exports led Congress to pass legislation in 1998 returning control to State.