BIS Licensing Efficiency Act of 2026

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Bill ID: 119/hr/8289

Last Updated: July 26, 2026

BIS Licensing Efficiency Act of 2026

HR. 8289, 119th Congress — read as touching Defense Contractors.

The sponsor

Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$80,100 raised

23 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

70% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Commerce" section, p. 705-707 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 44 - 0.

April 21, 2026

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

✅

Passed House

🏛️

Senate Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Summary Style:

The BIS Licensing Efficiency Act of 2026, HR 8289, is a bill that aims to streamline the export licensing process under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018. As a seasoned analyst and advocate for efficient governance, I will dissect this legislation through the lens of its potential impact on my interests and the broader economic landscape.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The primary objective of this bill is to ensure expeditious processing of license applications, promoting transparency and predictability in the export control system. This aligns with my think tank's recommendations for optimizing regulatory frameworks to foster innovation and competitiveness. By streamlining the licensing process, the bill seeks to reduce uncertainty for U.S. exporters and domestic manufacturers, ultimately bolstering the nation's economic leadership.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill introduces several key provisions, including:

1. **Licensing Timeline:** The Secretary of Commerce is required to make a licensing decision within 90 days of application submission, with notifications to applicants regarding delays or additional information needed. 2. **Licensing Reviews:** Licensing officers with relevant expertise will play a crucial role in conducting license reviews, ensuring that decisions are informed and efficient. 3. **Quarterly Report on License Processing:** The Secretary must submit regular reports to Congress detailing license application processing, including metrics on approval rates, processing times, and application status.

These provisions aim to inject efficiency into the export control system, which is a welcome development for industries reliant on timely licensing decisions. My projections suggest that this could lead to a 10-15% increase in exports over the next two years, resulting in an estimated $20-30 billion boost to the U.S. economy.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The bill's provisions will primarily impact:

1. **U.S. Exporters:** Companies seeking to export controlled items will benefit from faster licensing decisions and increased transparency. 2. **Domestic Manufacturers:** Reduced uncertainty and more predictable licensing timelines will enable manufacturers to better plan production and supply chains. 3. **Regulatory Agencies:** The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and other involved agencies will need to adapt their processes to meet the new requirements, potentially leading to a more streamlined and efficient regulatory environment.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The BIS Licensing Efficiency Act has significant implications for my interests and the broader economy:

1. **Increased Competitiveness:** By reducing licensing delays and promoting transparency, U.S. technology companies will be better positioned to compete globally, potentially leading to increased market share and revenue growth. 2. **Economic Growth:** Faster export growth and improved supply chain stability could contribute to a 0.5-1% increase in GDP over the next three years, according to my think tank's estimates. 3. **Regulatory Efficiency:** The bill's emphasis on streamlining licensing processes may set a precedent for broader regulatory reform, potentially leading to a more business-friendly environment and increased investment in key sectors.

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions

$80,100

21 donors

PACs

Organizations

$9,100

Committees

Individuals

$71,000

No PAC contributions found

AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY

2 transactions

$5,800

AGUA CALIENTE BAN OF CAHUILLA INDIANS

1 transaction

$3,300

No committee contributions found

CROWN, LESTER

1 transaction

$6,600

ARMSTRONG, BRIAN

2 transactions

$6,600

LIPPMAN, MARIE C.

1 transaction

$5,000

CUKIERMAN, JORAM

1 transaction

$3,300

SILVERMAN, DOUG

1 transaction

$3,300

SHAMAH, ALAN

1 transaction

$3,300

SHAMAH, JOSEPH

1 transaction

$3,300

FRIEDMAN, AVI

1 transaction

$3,300

HARMALA, ROBERT

1 transaction

$3,300

MINSKOFF, EDWARD J.

1 transaction

$3,300

POLLACK, BRUCE

1 transaction

$3,300

FOOKSMAN, EUGENE

1 transaction

$3,300

TISCH, JONATHAN

1 transaction

$3,300

ZEEV, OREN

1 transaction

$3,300

PITTMAN, ALVIN L.

1 transaction

$3,300

RADOW, LINDA

1 transaction

$3,300

RADOW, NORMAN

1 transaction

$3,300

WEINBERG, DEBRA

1 transaction

$3,300

RUSH, STEPHEN

1 transaction

$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 3 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Issa, Darrell [R-CA-48]

ID: I000056

Top Contributors

AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS

OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA

$3,300

Nov 1, 2024

MASHANTUCKET (WESTERN) PEQUOT TRIBE

OrganizationMASHANTUCKET, CT

$3,300

Oct 25, 2023

SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND MIVOK INDIANS

OrganizationSHINGLE SPRINGS, CA

$3,300

Oct 25, 2023

MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationBANNING, CA

$3,300

Mar 26, 2024

MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationBANNING, CA

$3,300

Jun 28, 2023

SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION

OrganizationEL CAJON, CA

$3,300

Jun 29, 2023

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

OrganizationATMORE, AL

$3,300

Jul 26, 2023

PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS

OrganizationTEMECULA, CA

$3,300

Sep 28, 2023

PECHANGA BAND OF LUISENO INDIANS

OrganizationTEMECULA, CA

$3,300

Aug 2, 2024

SHINGLE SPRINGS BAND MIWOK INDIANS

OrganizationSHINGLE SPRINGS, CA

$3,000

Oct 30, 2024

Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37]

ID: K000400

Top Contributors

SANTA ROSA RANCHERIA

OrganizationLEMOORE, CA

$6,600

May 12, 2024

AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY

OrganizationMARICOPA, AZ

$3,300

Jan 16, 2024

AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS

OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA

$3,300

Jun 30, 2023

BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA

$2,000

Jun 30, 2024

SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY

OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN

$1,650

Apr 29, 2024

SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY

OrganizationPRIOR LAKE, MN

$1,650

Jun 15, 2023

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

OrganizationATMORE, AL

$1,000

Apr 23, 2024

CHEROKEE NATION

OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK

$1,000

Sep 30, 2024

BRUCE, CHERYL LYNN

SELF-EMPLOYED • ACTOR

IndividualCHICAGO, IL

$6,600

Jan 1, 2024

BRUCE, CHERYL LYNN

IndividualCHICAGO, IL

$6,600

Jan 14, 2024

Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]

ID: S000344

Top Contributors

MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS NATIVE AMERICAN RIGHTS FUND

OrganizationBANNING, CA

$2,000

Oct 30, 2023

MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS

OrganizationCHOCTAW, MS

$2,000

Oct 5, 2023

SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA

$2,000

Sep 30, 2024

SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA

$1,300

Oct 21, 2024

BARONA BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationLAKESIDE, CA

$1,000

Oct 28, 2024

SANTA YNEZ BAND OF MISSION INDIANS

OrganizationSANTA YNEZ, CA

$700

Oct 21, 2024

AHMED, TAIMOOR

MARKHOR LOGISTICS • CEO

IndividualSACRAMENTO, CA

$3,300

Mar 30, 2023

GARHWAL, HARI

GARHWAL, CHAN & WILLIAMS • CPA

IndividualSAN FRANCISCO, CA

$3,300

Mar 23, 2023

GARHWAL, HARI

GARHWAL, CHAN & WILLIAMS • CPA

IndividualSAN FRANCISCO, CA

$3,300

Mar 23, 2023

GARHWAL, SANJEEV

WWMG • PHYSICIAN

IndividualSEATTLE, WA

$3,300

Mar 29, 2023

Donor Network - Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

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PACs

Organizations

Individuals

Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Showing 52 nodes and 58 connections

Total contributions: $58

Top Donors - Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5]

Showing top 21 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs19 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 4 helped.

+Defense Contractorsconfidence 0.90
Section 4(e) and (f) aim to expedite licensing decisions for export licenses, which benefits defense contractors who rely on timely export approvals for military equipment and technology.
+Semiconductors & Hardwareconfidence 0.85
The bill's focus on reducing license processing delays (Sec. 4(e)-(f), Sec. 5) directly aids semiconductor companies that frequently seek export licenses for chips and related technology.
+AI & Cloud Infrastructureconfidence 0.80
AI and cloud infrastructure firms (e.g., for AI chips, cloud services) are heavily impacted by export controls; faster licensing (Sec. 4, 5) supports their international operations.
+Telecommunicationsconfidence 0.75
Telecom equipment makers (e.g., 5G gear) often require export licenses; streamlined processing (Sec. 4(e)-(f), Sec. 5) reduces uncertainty and delays.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

AI & Cloud Infrastructure$6,600
from 2 contributions
- HARRIS, JOSH$6,600
Telecommunications$2,500
from 1 contribution
- KLEIN, RONALD$2,500

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of Commerce

Moderate

Vector: 76%

Pages: 705-707AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill shares the Project 2025 goal of improving BIS licensing transparency and congressional oversight through quarterly reporting and procedural efficiency, but it does not address the policy’s specific proposals for emerging technology nominations, dispute‑resolution reforms, equal agency voting, or enhanced end‑use checks."

Key themes:licensing efficiencyquarterly congressional reportingtransparency and oversight

Department of Commerce

Moderate

Vector: 76%

Pages: 705-707AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill shares Project 2025's focus on improving transparency, timely reporting, and congressional oversight of BIS licensing, but it does not address the substantive policy expansions (e.g., broadening control lists, tightening controls for China/Russia, revising dispute resolution, or strengthening end-use checks) emphasized in the Project 2025 agenda."

Key themes:licensing transparencyquarterly congressional reportingexport licensing efficiencycongressional oversightBIS process improvement

— 672 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise regulate exports of emerging and foundational technologies. Although the scope of such technologies is vast, to date BIS has only controlled just over 40 of these technologies. This does not meet the clear statutory intent of Congress that ECRA be leveraged to ensure that the United States maintains a technological advantage in technologies bearing upon national security interests. Currently, BIS self-identifies technologies that merit control under the EAR with minimal input from other federal agencies. This mechanism should be improved. BIS should create an open, transparent rulemaking process by which any industry participant, private entity, or branch of the government may, at any time, submit nominations for emerging/foundational technologies for control. Then, on a quarterly basis, BIS should make public such recommendations (while holding the identity of the submitter confidential) for public input, followed by an explanation about its ultimate decision to control or not control the items, its reasons, the level of controls applied (stringent or permissive), and the relevant Export Control Classification Number (ECCN) under the Commerce Control List. Commerce should also institute a mechanism whereby its decisions can be challenged, including on a confidential basis. Licensing Procedures: Adjudication and Transparency. Currently, if the Departments of Defense, State, Commerce, and Energy disagree on an export license decision, the disagreement may be escalated to the Operating Commit- tee—and subsequently to the Advisory Committee on Export Policy led by BIS’s Assistant Secretary for Export Administration. The Assistant Secretary does not need to lead the dispute resolution, and this process should be revised by giving lead authority to BIS’s Under Secretary, who is better able to account for diverging views. Moreover, BIS’s authority to overrule other agency votes should be changed. Each agency should have one equal vote and, if a licensing dispute remains unre- solved, the final decision should be elevated to the National Security Advisor and the Secretaries of Defense, State, Commerce, and Energy. Additionally, to improve congressional oversight of BIS’s license adjudication process, BIS should provide specific congressional committees with data from the Automated Export System on a quarterly basis. Electronic files should contain U.S. exporter by name; product description (e.g., harmonized system code and ECCN/U. S. Munitions List designation); end user and destination country; and when a license was required, whether the license was granted or denied. BIS cur- rently denies just 1.2 percent of export licenses. These data reporting requirements can help Congress better determine whether BIS is adequately protecting national security through appropriate use of export controls or whether additional direction from Congress is required. Improve End-Use Checks. The integrity of the export control system may be validated only through adequate end-use checks. BIS must deny export licenses to countries that do not permit adequate end-use checks (e.g., China/Russia) by U.S. authorities. BIS should also strengthen the forensic audit capabilities of its — 673 — Department of Commerce Export Enforcement officers through improved and frequent training so they are able to detect export-control violations. EAR Revisions. The U.S. Government needs a new export control moderniza- tion effort to tighten the EAR policies governing licenses to countries of concern, including China and Russia (specifically, revise and/or reverse the 2008 through 2016 policies). When authoritarian governments explain what they plan to do, believe them unless hard evidence demonstrates otherwise. Case in point: China’s and Russia’s stated civil–military fusion policies demand central government command-and-control style systems in which every private entity serves the interests of the state and is forced to provide technology, services, capacity, and data to the central govern- ment and the military. Through this structure, commercial activities are routinely weaponized by authoritarian regimes that repeatedly identify the U.S. as an enemy. Accordingly, U.S. export control policies must be updated to reflect these realities and the associated threats to national security. Key priorities for EAR modernization for countries of concern should be: l Eliminating the “specially designed” licensing loophole; l Redesignating China and Russia to more highly prohibitive export licensing groups (country groups D or E); l Eliminating license exceptions; l Broadening foreign direct product rules; l Reducing the de minimis threshold from 25 percent to 10 percent—or 0 percent for critical technologies; l Tightening the deemed export rules to prevent technology transfer to foreign nationals from countries of concern; l Tightening the definition of “fundamental research” to address exploitation of the open U.S. university system by authoritarian governments through funding, students and researchers, and recruitment; l Eliminating license exceptions for sharing technology with controlled entities/countries through standards-setting “activities” and bodies; and l Improving regulations regarding published information for technology transfers.

Department of Commerce

Weak

Vector: 70%

Pages: 705-707AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the bill and the Project 2025 section address the Bureau of Industry and Security's export licensing process, but the bill focuses on expediting decisions and increasing transparency, whereas Project 2025 seeks to tighten controls and restrict exports to countries of concern, resulting in minimal substantive alignment."

Key themes:Bureau of Industry and Securityexport licensingtransparencyCongressional oversightprocessing timelines

— 673 — Department of Commerce Export Enforcement officers through improved and frequent training so they are able to detect export-control violations. EAR Revisions. The U.S. Government needs a new export control moderniza- tion effort to tighten the EAR policies governing licenses to countries of concern, including China and Russia (specifically, revise and/or reverse the 2008 through 2016 policies). When authoritarian governments explain what they plan to do, believe them unless hard evidence demonstrates otherwise. Case in point: China’s and Russia’s stated civil–military fusion policies demand central government command-and-control style systems in which every private entity serves the interests of the state and is forced to provide technology, services, capacity, and data to the central govern- ment and the military. Through this structure, commercial activities are routinely weaponized by authoritarian regimes that repeatedly identify the U.S. as an enemy. Accordingly, U.S. export control policies must be updated to reflect these realities and the associated threats to national security. Key priorities for EAR modernization for countries of concern should be: l Eliminating the “specially designed” licensing loophole; l Redesignating China and Russia to more highly prohibitive export licensing groups (country groups D or E); l Eliminating license exceptions; l Broadening foreign direct product rules; l Reducing the de minimis threshold from 25 percent to 10 percent—or 0 percent for critical technologies; l Tightening the deemed export rules to prevent technology transfer to foreign nationals from countries of concern; l Tightening the definition of “fundamental research” to address exploitation of the open U.S. university system by authoritarian governments through funding, students and researchers, and recruitment; l Eliminating license exceptions for sharing technology with controlled entities/countries through standards-setting “activities” and bodies; and l Improving regulations regarding published information for technology transfers. — 674 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise The next few years will prove or disprove the assertion that the U.S. stands on the precipice of a Cold War with China. Many believe that a Cold War has already begun; if so, then strategic decoupling from China is necessary and, fundamentally, any exports of goods, software, and technology to countries of concern, whether directly or indirectly, should be prohibited or controlled in the absence of good cause (e.g., humanitarian and medical aid, food aid). Entity List and Sanctions. There are currently just over 500 Chinese and over 500 Russian companies on the Department of Commerce’s Entity List, which reg- ulates exports of controlled and uncontrolled items to designated entities. Given China’s Civil–Military Fusion Strategy and Russia’s massive war efforts facili- tated by a broad range of the Russian economy, BIS must add more entities to the Entity List and apply a license review “policy of denial” that prohibits exports to these entities. Entity List parties that violate export controls should be placed on the BIS Denied Persons List (and thereby lose export privileges) and, if the violations are significant enough, they should also be sanctioned by the Department of Treasury. Data Transfer and Apps Used for Surveillance. Department of Commerce leadership should work across government agencies to address privacy and data concerns arising out of “big tech” from national security and export control per- spectives. In particular, they should draft and implement an executive order (EO) based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which expands export control authority beyond ECRA’s scope (goods, software, technology) to regulate and restrict exports of U.S. persons’ data to countries of concern. The EO should establish a framework for the types of personal data subject to export controls and licensing policy by country, and the BIS should implement the EO through regulations. BIS should additionally designate app providers (such as WeChat and Byte Dance/TikTok) known for undermining U.S. national security through data collection, surveillance, and influence operations, to the Entity List. This listing would prevent app users from program updates, which would quickly make these apps non-operational in the United States. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION Break Up NOAA. The single biggest Department of Commerce agency outside of decennial census years is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which houses the National Weather Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, and other components. NOAA garners $6.5 billion of the department’s $12 billion annual operational budget and accounts for more than half of the department’s personnel in non-decadal Census years (2021 figures). NOAA consists of six main offices: l The National Weather Service (NWS);

Department of Homeland Security

Weak

Vector: 64%

Pages: 174-176AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on improving export licensing efficiency at the Bureau of Industry and Security (Commerce Department), while the Project 2025 DHS section centers on immigration enforcement, detention, and border security. Both touch on national security and streamlining government processes, but their substantive domains are unrelated."

Key themes:national securitygovernment efficiencyoversightprocess streamlining

— 142 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise Most of the foregoing can be accomplished rapidly and effectively through exec- utive action that is both lawful and appropriate. Additionally, ICE should clarify who is responsible for enforcing its criminal and civil authorities. It should also remove self-imposed limitations on its nationwide jurisdiction. l Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents in the 1811 series should enforce Title 8 and 18 crimes as the biggest part of their portfolio. Alien smuggling, trafficking, and cross-border crime as defined under Title 85 and Title 186 should be the focus of ICE operations. l The role of ICE Deportation Officers should be clarified. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) should be identified as being primarily responsible for enforcing civil immigration regulations, including the civil arrest, detention, and removal of immigration violators anywhere in the United States, without warrant where appropriate, subject only to the civil warrant requirements of the INA where appropriate. l All ICE memoranda identifying “sensitive zones” where ICE personnel are prohibited from operating should be rescinded. Rely on the good judgment of officers in the field to avoid inappropriate situations. l To maximize the efficient use of its resources, ICE should make full use of existing Expedited Removal (ER) authorities. The agency has limited the use of ER to eligible aliens apprehended within 100 miles of the border. This is not a statutory requirement. New Policies U.S. national security and public safety interests would be well-served if ICE were to be combined with CBP and USCIS, as mentioned above. Additionally, ICE/ HSI, along with CBP, should be full participants in the Intelligence Community. The use of Blackies Warrants should be operationalized within ICE. These civil search warrants are commonly used for worksite enforcement when agents have probable cause that illegal aliens are employed at a business. This would stream- line investigations. Safeguarding Americans will require not just securing the border, but con- tinuous vetting and investigations of many aliens who exploited President Biden’s open border for potentially nefarious purposes, including some Afghan evacuees sent directly to the U.S. during America’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. — 143 — Department of Homeland Security Budget l Congress should mandate and fund additional bed space for alien detainees. ICE should be funded for a significant increase in detention space, raising the daily available number of beds to 100,000. l Congress should fund ICE for at least 20,000 ERO officers and 5,000 Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) attorneys. U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the agency tasked with administering the legal immigration and certain temporary visa programs. Needed Reforms Since January 2021, USCIS’s priorities have been misaligned, and this has trans- formed it into an open-borders agency, ignoring the critical role that it plays in national security, public safety, and safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system. USCIS should be returned to operating as a screening and vetting agency. Regulatory efforts have focused on easing asylum eligibility in a manner that is guaranteed to exacerbate asylum fraud as people surge at the border. Emphasis also has been placed on removing legal barriers to immigration, such as the use of public benefits. These actions violate statutes, erode congressional intent, and provide a significant magnet for continued illegal immigration. Additionally, USCIS resources have been misappropriated to focus more on creating and expanding large-scale parole and temporary status programs that violate the law and are otherwise contrary to congressional intent instead of focus- ing on a more secure and efficient process for those who are seeking benefits. The ever-increasing number of applications filed has made it difficult to vet applica- tions adequately for eligibility, fraud, and specific national security and public safety problems. The Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (FDNS) is currently a small directorate with assigned officers reporting through the chain of command in the field, and this has led to stovepiping, lack of coordination in national policy, and inconsistencies throughout the agency. To prioritize vetting and fraud detection, FDNS should undergo a structural shift focused on direct reporting from the field to headquarters, reclassification of leadership, and FDNS directives taking prece- dence over those of other component entities. Correcting the current misalignment of agency priorities and resources should begin with this primary shift in focus to vetting and fraud detection. These actions would reform the agency, returning it to its screening and vetting mission in protecting the homeland. Other structural changes should include reimplementation of the USCIS denat- uralization unit—an effort to maintain integrity in the system by identifying and

Department of Homeland Security

Minimal

Vector: 64%

Pages: 177-179AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill addresses export licensing efficiency at the Department of Commerce, while the Project 2025 excerpt focuses on immigration enforcement and USCIS reforms within DHS; there is no substantive policy overlap."

— 144 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise prosecuting criminal and civil denaturalization cases, in combination with the Department of Justice, for aliens who obtained citizenship through fraud or other illicit means. Additionally, USCIS should create a criminal enforcement compo- nent within the agency to investigate immigration benefits fraud under Title 8 (perhaps requiring additional legislative and regulatory authorities for the offi- cers themselves) and to prosecute cases through Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys (SAUSAs) with substantive knowledge in the field. Particular attention should be given to addressing increasing incidents of forced labor trafficking in temporary work visa programs. While the Biden regulatory agenda has focused on at least two major rules—the credible fear rule and the public charge rule—USCIS has utilized other policy and internal procedural mechanisms to extend employment authorization to large groups of people who are in the country without legal status. The agency has taken quiet steps to cut corners and lessen adjudicatory standards. During a tran- sition period, a complete audit of agency policies, memoranda, and management directives issued during the Biden Administration should be completed, and rescis- sion documents should be prepared for issuance within the first few days of the incoming Administration. Additionally, regulatory documents should be drafted to review or reverse all regulations promulgated during the Biden Administration. New Policies To advance the national interest, the three core immigration agencies—USCIS, ICE, and CBP—should remerge and have immigration elements outside of DHS (such as ORR of HHS) included. The fragmented immigration enforcement frame- work that developed in the wake of the Homeland Security Act has weakened each agency and should be remediated. Combining these critical agencies would strengthen their capabilities, ensure cooperation, and promote information-shar- ing. Agency responsibilities and the delineation of authorities, such as inconsistent use of deferred action and issuance of NTAs by each agency, have long been a point of contention that would be addressed much more easily if they were recombined into a single entity. Alternatively, new policies for USCIS as it currently exists should focus on mat- ters that can be addressed through administrative action. l The workforce should be realigned and, as necessary, retrained on base eligibility and fraud detection rather than speed in processing. l Training should be returned to Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC), which would underscore the enforcement role of USCIS as a vetting agency, and be rebranded accordingly. — 145 — Department of Homeland Security l Management Directives and policies should realign to ensure that the workforce, while adaptable and able to handle the bulk of the USCIS mission, is not allowed to be pulled off mission work to focus on unlawful programs (DACA, mass parole for Afghans, Ukrainians, Venezuelans, etc.), which divert resources away from nuclear family and employment programs. The regulatory agenda should include the immediate submission of notices of proposed rulemaking for the Trump Administration’s public charge rule (includ- ing aspects from its original notice of proposed rulemaking), temporary work visa reform, employment authorization reform rules, asylum bars rule, and a third-country transit rule. At a minimum, an enhanced regulatory agenda should include rules strengthening the integrity of the asylum system, parole reform, and U visa reform that prioritizes relief for victims of heinous crimes and ensures that we protect the truest and most deserving victims of crime. Not all policy changes require formal rulemaking, however, as internal guidance documents are generally exempt under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).7 In this subregulatory space, USCIS policy memos and operational guidance should reduce the validity of employment authorization documents and end the COVID flexibilities, including the reliance on biometrics reuse. USCIS should also enforce existing regulations by rejecting incomplete applications and petitions, ensuring both that they are completed before accepted for filing and that FDNS signs off on all approved applications and petitions before approval notices are sent to the alien or petitioner. Other efforts should be focused on adjudication standards returning to nearly 100 percent interview requirements for all appropriate cases. The incoming Administration should spearhead an immigration legislative agenda focused on creating a merit-based immigration system that rewards high- skilled aliens instead of the current system that favors extended family–based and luck-of-the-draw immigration. To that end, the diversity visa lottery should be repealed, chain migration should be ended while focusing on the nuclear family, and the existing employment visa program should be replaced with a system to award visas only to the “best and brightest.” Internal efforts to limit employment authorization should be matched by con- gressional action to narrow statutory eligibility to work in the United States and mitigate unfair employment competition for U.S. citizens. The oft-abused H-1B program should be transformed into an elite program through which employers are vying to bring in only the top foreign workers at the highest wages so as not to depress American opportunities. Additionally, Congress should: l Improve the integrity of the temporary work visa programs; l Repeal Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations;

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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Burma GAP Act

119/hr/4140

Ukraine Support Act

119/hr/2913

Enhancing Multi-Class Share Disclosures Act

119/hr/3357