Congressman Calls for GAO Review of NASA's Export Compliance

Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) is calling for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review NASA's export control policies. Broun chairs the House Science, Space and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight.

Broun's letter to GAO refers to "allegations that NASA centers have allowed unapproved individuals access to sensitive technologies," but does not specify who or what is involved other than referencing "an ongoing investigation at Ames Research Center" that Broun asks to be included in the review.

To read the entire article, visit http://www.spacepolicyonline.com/news/house-committee-calls-for-gao-review-of-nasa-export-control-compliance#.UIqtk5CDumc.email.

Update on University Professor Convicted of Export Control Violation

This article provides some perspective from Reece Roth about his conviction and resulting imprisonment.

To read the entire article, visit http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-11-01/why-the-professor-went-to-prison.

Military Secrets Leak From U.S. Universities With Rules Flouted

For 15 days in late 2009, Internet users in 36 countries, including China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan, viewed sensitive information about U.S. weapons technology that was supposed to be for American eyes only.

The disclosure, which prompted a rebuke from a U.S. State Department official, came from a Georgia Institute of Technology course for federal employees and contractors on infrared technology used in weapons-aiming systems for aircraft, ships and tanks. Asked by instructor David Schmieder to copy the course onto a DVD, Georgia Tech’s media staff instead uploaded it to servers.

To read the entire article, visit  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-04-30/military-secrets-leak-from-u-s-universities-with-rules-flouted.html.

Latest Steps to Implement the President's Export Control Reform Initiative - NEW

March 7, 2012 - Today, the Administration officially opened two new national, multi-agency centers to improve how the U.S. Government administers its export control system.  This is a significant step forward in the President's Export Control Reform Initiative of implementing common sense reforms to streamline and improve the nation's export control system.

To read the entire article, visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/03/07/fact-sheet-latest-steps-implement-presidents-export-control-reform-initi.

Department of Justice Summary of Major U.S. Enforcement and Embargo Prosecutions: 2007 to Present

The DOJ provided a snapshot of some of the major export and embargo-related criminal prosecutions handled by the Justice Department since January 2007.  These cases resulted from investigations by the Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Pentagon's Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and other law enforcement agencies.

To read the entire article, visit:  http://www.justice.gov/nsd/docs/summary-eaca.pdf

President Obama Lays the Foundation for a New Export Control System To Strengthen National Security and the Competitiveness of Key U.S. Manufacturing and Technology Sectors

August 30, 2010 - Tomorrow, President Obama will announce a major step forward in the Administration’s efforts to fundamentally reform the export control system and will outline the foundation of our new export control system. These changes – in what we control, how we control it, how we enforce those controls and how we manage our controls – will help strengthen our national security by focusing our efforts on controlling the most critical products and technologies and by enhancing the competitiveness of key U.S. manufacturing and technology sectors.

To read the entire article, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/08/30/president-obama-lays-foundation-a-new-export-control-system-strengthen-n

CBP to continue searches of travelers' laptops

The Homeland Security Department announced on Thursday that it will continue to allow Customs and Border Protection officials to search travelers' laptop computers and other electronic devices without suspicion of wrongdoing.

To read the entire article, visit http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0809/082809n1.htm

Retired University Professor Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Arms Export Violations Involving Citizen of China

John Reece Roth, 72, of Knoxville, Tenn., was sentenced to 48 months in prison for violating the Arms Export Control Act by conspiring to illegally export, and actually exporting, technical information relating to a U.S. Air Force ( USAF ) research and development contract.

To read the entire article, visit http://media-newswire.com/release_1094393.html