ACTION ALERT:
THE U.S. TECH SECTOR SENDS LETHAL TECH TO ISRAEL
TELL THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO CLOSE THE LOOPHOLE THAT LETS THEM DO IT
Big Tech’s Secret Weapon Loophole
Right now, companies like Google and Amazon are exporting "lethality-enabling" tech (like AI for targeting) to conflict zones. The law says anyone can ask the government to check if this tech is actually a weapon, but the government's official form blocks you from doing it unless you are the company.
The Glitch
The Law: Says "any person" can flag a suspicious technology.
The Form: Only lets the manufacturers themselves apply.
Why it Matters
This "clerical error" lets Big Tech avoid oversight while sending powerful software to places like Gaza. If the form is fixed, you can officially force the State Department to investigate these exports.
Deadline to Write the State Department: March 16
The government is taking public comments until March 16, 2026. We have a short window of time to tell them to fix the form and hold Big Tech accountable.
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RE: ATTN: OMB Approval, CJ Determination Information Collection
To the Office of Defense Trade Controls Policy,
A New Policy has alerted me to a matter of deep urgency regarding OMB control number 1405-0163, information collection concerning the Commodity Jurisdiction Determination Form, Form DS-4076.
As emerging technologies from the commercial sector, including AI and software, increasingly drive the lethality of modern warfare, the State Department’s current export control process contains a dangerous oversight that we can no longer afford to ignore.
Right now, U.S. tech companies are exporting "lethality-enabling" AI to conflict zones like Gaza - technology that is often “specially designed” for military purposes While 22 CFR § 120.12 legally allows any person to ask the State Department to determine if a technology is actually a defense article or service, Form DS-4076 creates an impossible barrier. It only allows the manufacturer or their authorized representative to file a request.
This effectively turns the "fox" into the "guarantor of the henhouse." If a company is selling battle-tracking AI to a foreign military, concerned citizens and researchers are currently blocked from flagging it for review simply because they don't own the company. We are watching weapons-grade tech bypass federal oversight because the paperwork isn’t built for public accountability.
I urge the State Department to immediately update Form DS-4076 to:
Remove the "Gatekeeper" requirement: Allow any interested party (not just the manufacturer) to submit a Commodity Jurisdiction request.
Ensure the application reflects the broad standing granted by federal regulations.
We cannot let a technicality allow lethal technology to slip through the cracks. Please amend the form to ensure that public concerns, not just corporate interests, can be addressed through our export controls.
Thank you.