The Secretary shall, consistent with delegations as described in section 4814 of this title, establish a procedure to license or otherwise authorize the export, reexport, and in-country transfer of items controlled under this subchapter in order to carry out the policy set forth in section 4811 of this title and the requirements set forth in section 4812(b) of this title. The procedure shall ensure that—

(1) license applications and other requests for authorization are considered and decisions made with the participation of appropriate Federal agencies, as appropriate; and

(2) licensing decisions are made in an expeditious manner, with transparency to applicants on the status of license and other authorization processing and the reason for denying any license or request for authorization.

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary should make best efforts to ensure that an accurate, consistent, and timely evaluation and processing of licenses or other requests for authorization to export, reexport, or in-country transfer items controlled under this subchapter is generally accomplished within 30 days from the date of such license request.

No fee may be charged in connection with the submission, processing, or consideration of any application for a license or other authorization or other request made in connection with any regulation in effect under the authority of this subchapter.

A significant negative impact on the United States defense industrial base is the following:

(1) In general The procedure required under subsection (a) shall provide for the assessment of the impact of a proposed export of an item on the United States defense industrial base and the denial of an application for a license or a request for an authorization of any export that would have a significant negative impact on such defense industrial base, as described in paragraph (3).

(2) Information from applicant The procedure required under subsection (a) shall also require an applicant for a license to provide the information necessary to make the assessment provided under paragraph (1), including whether the purpose or effect of the export is to allow for the significant production of items relevant for the defense industrial base outside the United States.

A significant negative impact on the United States defense industrial base is the following:

(A) A reduction in the availability of an item produced in the United States that is likely to be acquired by the Department of Defense or other Federal department or agency for the advancement of the national security of the United States, or for the production of an item in the United States for the Department of Defense or other agency for the advancement of the national security of the United States.

(B) A reduction in the production in the United States of an item that is the result of research and development carried out, or funded by, the Department of Defense or other Federal department or agency to advance the national security of the United States, or a federally funded research and development center.

(C) A reduction in the employment of United States persons whose knowledge and skills are necessary for the continued production in the United States of an item that is likely to be acquired by the Department of Defense or other Federal department or agency for the advancement of the national security of the United States.

(Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XVII, § 1756, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2217.)