Mike Thompson: “This amendment provides additional exceptions from acquired time periods for processing license applications if the…”

“This amendment provides additional exceptions from acquired time periods for processing license applications if the reviewing agency requires more time due to the complexity of the analysis or if the reviewing agency requires additional time based on the potential impact of the export on national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. It limits any additional time to not more than 60 days. In other words, what this amendment does--first of all, as it is currently drafted, it gives an agency 30 days to look over this license application and to come to a decision as to whether or not it wants to go along with it or try to oppose it. If the agency is not heard from within 30 days, then it is deemed the agency waives its rights and the agency approves it. What this amendment does is it takes a particular set of circumstances where there are national security implications; in other words, the Department of Defense takes a look at something and says: Perhaps this is a very complex application, and it very well may have national security implications. We simply cannot get this done in 30 days. We need additional time.”