White House Unlikely to Request Re-Transfer of Satellite Jurisdiction
 
May 30, 2002
 

It has been reported that the White House is unlikely to request that Congress return export jurisdiction for communications satellites from the Department of State (where the licensing procedures are more onerous) to the Department of Commerce. The White House has, in the past, expressed support for such a move. However, not only was a recent meeting of senior Bush Administration officials unable to reach consensus, but reportedly the majority supported keeping the satellites under the control of the Department of State. At best, some analysts have expressed the hope that some satellite components will revert to the jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce.