Duval Times

U.S. government agencies have different criteria for sanctioning adversaries and preventing them from engaging in the U.S. economy. According to some lawmakers, foreign adversaries like China benefit from this lack of interagency coordination.

U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Sanctions List Harmonization Act, which aims to address this issue. The bill would require the U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Department of Commerce, and U.S. Department of Defense to notify one another when a foreign individual or entity is placed on certain sanction lists.

“It’s common sense for agencies to flag when an individual or entity is sanctioned under U.S. law," said Senator Rubio. "America must strengthen its interagency coordination and prevent bad actors, such as Communist China, Russia, and Iran, from taking advantage of a disjointed policy. We must enact measures to counter the reality that our adversaries are evading U.S. sanctions.”

Senator Merkley added, “As authoritarian regimes and actors around the world continue to undermine the freedoms and basic human rights of their peoples, the United States must act clearly and decisively by enforcing U.S. sanctions. By ensuring our federal agencies take a cohesive approach when reviewing and imposing sanctions on bad actors attempting to evade U.S. law, we will continue to defend those fighting against the oppression of authoritarianism.”

U.S. Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it passed unanimously.

For more information: In July 2024, Senator Rubio introduced a bill aimed at countering adversarial financial systems.