U.S. Senate’s Defense Legislation hits ZTE

The U.S. Senate voted 85 to 10 to approve a $716 billion defense spending authorization bill that includes a provision extending the restriction on the export of U.S. technologies to ZTE. The provision is a rebuke to President Trump’s decision to lift the ban against exports to ZTE.

The Senate version of the defense spending authorization bill must be reconciled with the House version, which prohibits the federal government from purchasing ZTE products, but not reimpose the export ban on the company.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is believed to be negotiating on Capitol Hill to ensure that the ban against ZTE does not become part of the final bill.