S. 4883 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jun 24, 2026
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryIncreases penalties for export control violations
Export control laws prevent certain goods and technology from being shipped outside the U.S. without permission. This bill makes the penalties for breaking those rules much stiffer. Instead of a maximum fine of $300,000 per violation, companies could now face fines up to $1.2 million or four times the value of what was shipped illegally, whichever is larger.
How it affects you
If you work for or own a company that exports goods, you'll face much bigger financial consequences if you violate export control laws. Most everyday Americans won't feel a direct impact, since these rules apply mainly to businesses dealing with international trade and sensitive materials.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jun 24, 2026)
This bill increases civil penalties for violations of U.S. export control laws.
Specifically, the bill increases the maximum statutory civil penalty for each violation of any regulation, order, or license issued under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (ECRA) to $1.2 million or four times the value of the transaction, whichever is greater. (Currently, the maximum statutory civil penalty for each violation of ECRA is $300,000 or twice the value of the transaction, whichever is greater. The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security adjusts this maximum amount annually for inflation.)
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
2nd SessionS. 4883
A BILL
A bill to amend the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to increase the civil penalties that may be imposed under that Act.
Sponsor: Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) · Introduced Jun 24, 2026 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 24, 2026: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.”