§4812 — Title 50 War and National Defense | U.S. Code

Summary

The President must control exports, re-exports, and transfers inside the U.S. of items that fall under U.S. rules. The President also must control what U.S. people do, anywhere in the world, when their activities involve things like nuclear explosive devices, missiles, chemical or biological weapons, entire plants that make chemical-weapon ingredients, foreign maritime nuclear projects, or foreign military, security, or intelligence services. To do this, the President must make rules and limits on those exports and activities. The President must work with other countries and groups to line up controls. The President must protect U.S. science, technology, and industry, stop unauthorized technology transfers (especially to countries that threaten U.S. security), and strengthen U.S. defense-related industry. Enforcement can include regulations, compliance rules, lists of controlled items and risky foreign persons, and clear guidance for schools, labs, and small businesses. These controls apply no matter how the transfer happens — by sale, contract, voluntary transfer, inside-company moves, joint projects, or other arrangements.

Title 50, §4812

War and National Defense — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In order to carry out the policy set forth in paragraphs (1) through (10) of section 4811 of this title, the President shall control—

(1)the export, reexport, and in-country transfer of items subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, whether by United States persons or by foreign persons; and

(2)the activities of United States persons, wherever located, relating to specific—

(A)nuclear explosive devices;

(B)missiles;

(C)chemical or biological weapons;

(D)whole plants for chemical weapons precursors;

(E)foreign maritime nuclear projects; and

(F)foreign military, security, or intelligence services.

(b)In exercising authority under this subchapter to carry out the policy set forth in paragraphs (1) through (10) of section 4811 of this title, the President shall—

(1)regulate the export, reexport, and in-country transfer of items described in subsection (a)(1) of United States persons or foreign persons;

(2)regulate the activities described in subsection (a)(2) of United States persons, wherever located;

(3)seek to secure the cooperation of other governments and multilateral organizations to impose control systems that are consistent, to the extent possible, with the controls imposed under subsection (a);

(4)maintain the leadership of the United States in science, engineering, technology research and development, manufacturing, and foundational technology that is essential to innovation;

(5)protect United States technological advances by prohibiting unauthorized technology transfers to foreign persons in the United States or outside the United States, particularly with respect to countries that may pose a significant threat to the national security of the United States;

(6)strengthen the United States industrial base, both with respect to current and future defense requirements; and

(7)enforce the controls through means such as regulations, requirements for compliance, lists of controlled items, lists of foreign persons who threaten the national security or foreign policy of the United States, and guidance in a form that facilitates compliance by United States persons and foreign persons, in particular academic institutions, scientific and research establishments, and small- and medium-sized businesses.

(c)The President shall impose controls over the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of items for purposes of the objectives described in subsections (b)(1) or (b)(2) without regard to the nature of the underlying transaction or any circumstances pertaining to the activity, including whether such export, reexport, or in-country transfer occurs pursuant to a purchase order or other contract requirement, voluntary decision, inter-company arrangement, marketing effort, or during a joint venture, joint development agreement, or similar collaborative agreement.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This subchapter, referred to in subsec. (b), was in the original “this part”, meaning part I (§§ 1751–1768) of subtitle B of title XVII of div. A of Pub. L. 115–232, known as the Export Controls Act of 2018, which is classified principally to this subchapter. For complete classification of part I to the Code, see section 1751 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a

Short Title

note under section 4801 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(2)(F). Pub. L. 117–263 inserted “, security, or” before “intelligence”.

§4812 Authority of the President