A bill to provide for a ten-year statute of limitations for export control violations under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018.
- Bill Number
- S. 5380
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-08-07: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2026-08-25T22:01:12Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation establishes a ten-year statute of limitations for civil and criminal enforcement actions involving export control violations under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018.
Key Provisions
- Adds a new subsection (g) to Section 1760 of the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4819).
- Civil actions: No civil fine, penalty, or forfeiture may be pursued if an action, suit, or proceeding begins more than 10 years after the date of the violation. The issuance of a charging letter counts as the start of the proceeding.
- Criminal actions: No person may be prosecuted, tried, or punished unless an indictment is found or information is filed within 10 years after the latest date of the violation.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill introduces a specific 10-year time limit for both civil and criminal proceedings under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018. Prior to this amendment, the Act did not specify a statute of limitations for such violations.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Provides enforcement authorities, such as the Bureau of Industry and Security, additional time to investigate and pursue complex export control cases.
- Citizens and businesses: Limits the period during which individuals or companies can face penalties, potentially reducing long-term legal exposure for past activities.
- International relations: May affect the ability to enforce U.S. export controls on sensitive technologies over extended periods, influencing cooperation with foreign partners on dual-use item restrictions.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- U.S. exporters and companies handling controlled items.
- Federal agencies responsible for export control enforcement.
- Individuals or entities subject to civil or criminal proceedings for violations.
- Legal and compliance professionals advising on export regulations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The amendment standardizes the timeframe for enforcement actions, aligning with general principles of timely prosecution while extending the window beyond typical shorter limitations in some regulatory contexts. It does not alter the underlying substantive violations or penalties but affects the procedural ability to bring cases after a decade.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-08-07: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
- 2026-08-07: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- To provide for a ten-year statute of limitations for export control violations under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018. — issued 2026-08-07 — PDF (2 pages)