Mackenzie, Castro Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Export Control Enforcement

Washington, D.C.- This week, Congressman Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07), representing the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos and serving on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, alongside Ranking Member of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Joaquin Castro (TX-20), introduced bipartisan legislation to strengthen the enforcement of U.S. export control laws and better equip authorities to hold bad actors accountable.

The legislation updates the Export Control Reform Act of 2018, enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, by extending the statute of limitations for export control violations from five years to ten years for both civil enforcement actions and criminal prosecutions. It also clarifies that a civil case is considered commenced when a charging letter is issued.

As global threats evolve, export control violations increasingly involve complex networks, shell companies, and long-running schemes designed to evade U.S. law. Current timelines can limit the ability of investigators to fully uncover and prosecute these violations.

"As bad actors develop sophisticated tactics to get around U.S. export controls and put our national security at risk, it's essential that U.S. authorities have the legal tools they need to fulfill their missions," said Congressman Mackenzie. "This bipartisan bill updates our laws to match today's challenges, giving law enforcement more time to investigate complex cases and enforce accountability for those undermining American interests. It's a commonsense step to strengthen our export control system and protect American interests."

"Our national security is increasingly under threat from malign actors that grew more sophisticated in eluding our national security export restrictions," said Congressman Castro. "This bipartisan bill extends the time law enforcement has to investigate and prosecute any attempts to export highly sensitive American technology to adversaries. We are updating our export control system to better protect American interests."

By modernizing enforcement timelines under the Export Control Reform Act, this legislation ensures that U.S. authorities have the necessary tools to pursue violations, deter misconduct, and keep sensitive technologies out of the wrong hands.