Latest Coverage

Latest Coverage for Subscribers Only

Access to the complete versions of our articles, research, and other resources are available to subscribers only. Get access now »

Proposed DoJ budget includes data on reviews, NSAs, penalties, more

Proposed DoJ budget includes data on reviews, NSAs, penalties, more

Buried inside the 67-page proposed fiscal year 2025 budget for the National Security Division was some interesting data on the number of new national security agreements in place, as well as insights on CFIUS penalties, site visits, monitoring of NSAs, and more. Details and the full report are inside.

Agriculture Dept. to remain “case by case” on CFIUS; gets more funding

Agriculture Dept. to remain “case by case” on CFIUS; gets more funding

Much has been made of the fact that the new Consolidated Appropriations Act adds the Secretary of Agriculture as a “permanent” member of CFIUS. But that’s misleading; in fact, the Act says that the Agriculture Secretary can be included as a member of CFIUS on a “case by case basis.” Insights inside.

Top advisors at nexus of national security and foreign investment

Top advisors at nexus of national security and foreign investment

Congratulations to the experts who were selected as Foreign Investment Watch’s “Top Advisors 2024.” Out of hundreds of submissions, we selected 32 individuals based on myriad criteria, from experience and references to one-on-one interactions with Foreign Investment Watch.

President Biden issues Executive Order on sensitive personal data

President Biden issues Executive Order on sensitive personal data

As expected, Pres. Biden has issued an Executive Order aimed a protecting Americans’ sensitive personal data. The EO covers biometric, genomic, and geolocation data, and the DoJ has already published its proposed rule. Details, fact sheets, the EO, a related unclassified NSI report, more inside.

Talking CFIUS and the new “SCRC” with former DHS Asst. Secretary

Talking CFIUS and the new “SCRC” with former DHS Asst. Secretary

Until a couple weeks ago, Bridget McGovern was Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security at the Department of Homeland Security. We sat down with McGovern to play “true false,” and to discuss CFIUS, her new role, and the new “Supply Chain Resilience Center” we covered in December.

Court: Florida can’t prevent Chinese nationals from buying property

Court: Florida can’t prevent Chinese nationals from buying property

As we covered back in June, Florida had enacted a law banning foreign nationals from China and other “countries of concern” from purchasing certain real estate holdings. An appeals court has now prohibited enforcement of that ban. Details, the case, a DoJ statement of interest, the impact, and more inside.

White House updates its list of Critical and Emerging Technologies

White House updates its list of Critical and Emerging Technologies

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy has released its updated list of Critical and Emerging Technologies. Last updated two years ago, the list has relevance to both export controls and foreign investment review policies. Details, the full list, and key changes from 2022 are inside.

Navy unveils new economic council to address foreign investment risks

Navy unveils new economic council to address foreign investment risks

Last week, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro unveiled the Maritime Economic Deterrence Executive Council, which will counter “adversarial economic activities” that directly impact the Navy and Marine Corps. Mitigation of foreign investment risks is part of the mandate. Details inside.

Bill would give governors power to question CFIUS about transactions

Bill would give governors power to question CFIUS about transactions

A U.S. Senator has introduced a bill that would force CFIUS to respond to inquiries from governors about transactions within state borders. The proposal runs counter to FIRRMA and current practice, and raises questions about the states’ role in national security, just as the states ramp up activity. Details inside.

BIS proposed “IaaS” rule could have much broader impact on AI market

BIS proposed “IaaS” rule could have much broader impact on AI market

As expected, the Bureau of Industry and Security has floated a rule that would require U.S. “Infrastructure as a Service” providers to verify the identity of foreign customers, and disclose when those entities train certain AI models. Experts say the rule could broadly impact the cloud market.

Is CFIUS imposing NSAs without negotiating terms? Rumors abound.

Is CFIUS imposing NSAs without negotiating terms? Rumors abound.

According to some readers of Foreign Investment Watch, CFIUS has imposed National Security Agreements by order on a non-interim basis, and has done so without negotiating with the transactions parties. Experts say this would be an important development with far-reaching implications.

China Select: Five VCs invested $3B into Chinese cos. supporting CCP

China Select: Five VCs invested $3B into Chinese cos. supporting CCP

Last week, the China Select Committee completed an investigation that found five venture capital firms have invested billions into Chinese companies “that both created dangerous People’s Liberation Army weapon systems” and developed technologies for surveilling the population. Findings, report inside.

At hearing, experts back sanctions, entity-based approach to outbound

At hearing, experts back sanctions, entity-based approach to outbound

At a House Financial Services Committee hearing on outbound, experts stated that Biden’s E.O. would create a “cumbersome and unnecessary bureaucratic process,” and that outbound investment authorities “should not be located within CFIUS.” Details, insights, and copies of the testimony are inside.

Help fellow readers: Questions on land deals near grid facilities, more

Help fellow readers: Questions on land deals near grid facilities, more

It’s been a while since we published a “request for answers,” but two readers recently posed interesting questions related to foreign investment in agriculture land that we thought worth posing to the community. If you respond to these questions, we’ll publish your answers in a future edition.

Join Foreign Investment Watch at ACI; exclusive discount for readers

Join Foreign Investment Watch at ACI; exclusive discount for readers

The 10th National Conference on CFIUS takes place April 11-12 in Virginia, and we’ll be there. Several members of our Editorial Advisory Board are speaking, and we’ve negotiated an exclusive discount for Foreign Investment Watch readers. Details and our discount code are inside.

CFIUS non-compliance: Causes and tips for avoiding enforcement risks

CFIUS non-compliance: Causes and tips for avoiding enforcement risks

CFIUS has been ramping up enforcement activity, but the Committee has not yet published details on penalties. So we asked an experienced third-party monitor and auditor to help us understand the issues that typically emerge as root causes for non-compliance, and increase the risk of enforcement.

Former CFIUS head on outbound, Nippon, the GAO report, and more

Former CFIUS head on outbound, Nippon, the GAO report, and more

In our latest episode of “Ten With Tom,” former Assistant Secretary for Investment Security Thomas Feddo tackles everything from the DoD’s “proximity playbook” to his beloved Buffalo Bills. Feddo even predicts what we’re going to see in the next CFIUS report (he hasn’t been wrong yet). Video inside.

EU proposes to tighten the screws on foreign investment screening

EU proposes to tighten the screws on foreign investment screening

Last week, the European Union proposed a number of initiatives to strengthen economic security. Among them: changes to address shortcomings in existing screening mechanisms, and a “step-by-step analysis of outbound investments.” Details, white papers, fact sheets, and proposals inside.