United States Policy and Practice
Export control, transfer policy and laws
The United States has extensive laws governing its' arms trade, many of them derived from the Arms Export Control Act and Presidential Policy Directive 27 (PPD-27). The Obama administration conducted an overhaul of the export control system, which is managed primarily by the Defense, State and Commerce Departments using the US Military List (USML) and Commerce Control List (CCL). The overhaul took many items off the USML and moved them to the less highly-controlled CCL or to no control at all. Concerns are that this will lead to a larger flow of weapons, especially small arms and light weapons, to repressive regimes and conflict zones.
Experts: Jeff Abramson, Brittany Benowitz, Colby Goodman, William Hartung, Amy Nelson, Rachel Stohl, Anne-Charlotte Merrell Wetterwik.
Key resources:
Recent expert publications*:
*publications in which Forum-listed experts were involved. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others.
The United States has extensive laws governing its' arms trade, many of them derived from the Arms Export Control Act and Presidential Policy Directive 27 (PPD-27). The Obama administration conducted an overhaul of the export control system, which is managed primarily by the Defense, State and Commerce Departments using the US Military List (USML) and Commerce Control List (CCL). The overhaul took many items off the USML and moved them to the less highly-controlled CCL or to no control at all. Concerns are that this will lead to a larger flow of weapons, especially small arms and light weapons, to repressive regimes and conflict zones.
Experts: Jeff Abramson, Brittany Benowitz, Colby Goodman, William Hartung, Amy Nelson, Rachel Stohl, Anne-Charlotte Merrell Wetterwik.
Key resources:
- US Conventional Arms Transfer Policy - Forum on the Arms Trade
- USML Cat I-III to Commerce - Forum on the Arms Trade
- Possible Transfer of Arms and Ammunition (USML Cat I-III) to Commerce - Forum on the Arms Trade
- Key Questions about the U.S. "Export Control Reform Initiative" - Security Assistance Monitor
- A Resource on Strategic Trade Management and Export Controls - Export Control and Related Border Security Program
- US Conventional Arms Transfer Policy - PPD 27 (White House)
Recent expert publications*:
- Jeff Abramson, "U.S. May Ease Arms Export Rules," Arms Control Today, March 2018.
- Daniel Mahanty*, With Great Power: Modifying US Arms Sales to Reduce Civilian Harm," CIVIC/Stimson Center, Jan 10.
- Jeff Abramson, "Congress Should Not Cede Oversight on Small Arms Exports," Issue Brief, Arms Control Association, Oct 5.
- Colby Goodman and Rachel Stohl, "Five dangers of giving the Commerce Department oversight of firearms exports [commentary]," DefenseNews, Sept 25.
*publications in which Forum-listed experts were involved. Inclusion on the Forum on the Arms Trade expert list does not indicate agreement with or endorsement of the opinions of others.
