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WASHINGTON – The United States welcomes the Government of Israel’s decision to approve a one-year extension of its indemnification for Israeli banks, which underpins correspondent banking relationships with Palestinian counterparts. Economic stability in the West Bank is essential for Israeli and Palestinian security, and correspondent banking is a key pillar of that economic stability.  The United States appreciates the ongoing engagement with the Government of Israel and the Palestine Monetary Authority on this matter.

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WASHINGTON — Today, on the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning three former Government of Uzbekistan officials who were involved in human trafficking and gender-based violence, including physical and sexual violence against children at a state-run orphanage in Urgench, Uzbekistan. All three individuals are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse around the world.

Concurrently, these individuals are now subject to visa restrictions by the Department of State under Section 7031(c) of the annual Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.

Promoting accountability for gender-based violence is a top priority for the U.S. government. President Biden issued a Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in November 2022 that directs the U.S. government to strengthen our exercise of financial, diplomatic, and legal tools against these types of abuses. 

“Today’s action highlights the tragic consequences when government officials leverage their power and position to perpetuate a system of gender-based violence and human trafficking,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “As we mark the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, the United States remains committed to holding accountable those who seek to exploit those they are charged to protect.”

serious human rights abuse At State-Run OrphanAge

During their tenure as government officials, Yulduz Khudaiberganova (Khudaiberganova), Anvar Kuryazov (Kuryazov), and Aybek Masharipov (Masharipov) participated in repeated physical abuse, sexual assault, and trafficking of orphan children. At the time, Khudaiberganova was the director of a state-run orphanage, Masharipov was the head of the Khorezm Regional Justice Department, and Kuryazov was the head of the District Emergency Department. For at least 10 months, Khudaiberganova forced at least three underage girls to engage in sexual acts with at least six different men in exchange for funds and goods. Khudaiberganova used various coercive tactics to ensure the girls’ compliance, including physical beatings, threats, starvation, and isolation from their peers. Both Masharipov and Kuryazov demanded sexual access to orphans in compensation for “gifts” they provided to the orphanage. Kuryazov and Masharipov repeatedly visited the orphanage in order to prey upon the young girls. 

Khudaiberganova, Kuryazov, and Masharipov are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged in, serious human rights abuse. 

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. U.S. persons may face civil or criminal penalties for violations of E.O. 13818. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. sanctions, including the factors that OFAC generally considers when determining an appropriate response to an apparent violation.

In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. 

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. 

For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

GLOBAL MAGNITSKY

Building upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, E.O. 13818 was issued on December 20, 2017, in recognition that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity as to threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.

Click here for more information on the individuals and entities designated today.

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WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning 21 security and cabinet-level officials aligned with Nicolas Maduro. These individuals are sanctioned pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13692, as amended, for being current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. They have supported and carried out Maduro’s orders to repress civil society in his efforts to fraudulently declare himself the winner of Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election, thus ignoring the will of the overwhelming majority of Venezuelan voters who elected Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as their next president.

Following the election, Venezuelan security forces have arbitrarily arrested democratic opposition supporters en masse, violently suppressed protests, and denied individuals the right to assemble peacefully without reprisal. These tactics also involved issuing an unjustified arrest warrant against president-elect Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, prompting his departure from Venezuela.  

“Maduro and his representatives’ repressive actions in the wake of the Venezuelan presidential election are a desperate attempt to silence the voices of its citizens,” said Acting Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “The United States will continue to shine a light on those who seek to use violence and intimidation to undermine democratic governance and the legitimate exercise of free speech.”

Concurrently, the Department of State is taking steps to impose new visa restrictions under Presidential Proclamation 9931 on Maduro-aligned individuals who have undermined the electoral process in Venezuela and/or are responsible for acts of repression. With these actions nearly 2,000 individuals have been identified to date as subject to visa restrictions for their role in undermining democracy, engaging in significant corruption, or violating the human rights of the Venezuelan people. 

VENEZUELAN MILITARY and POLICE OFFICIALs

The individuals sanctioned today are senior Venezuelan officials, including from the Maduro-aligned Bolivarian National Guard (GNB), Bolivarian National Police (BNP), Bolivarian Militia, Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), and General Directorate of Military Counterintelligence (DGCIM). These individuals are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13692, “Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela,” as amended, for being current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. 

GNB Officials

The GNB has led the violent repression following the election. Members of the GNB used their firearms to repress protestors, arrest and beat minors, and carry out arbitrary detentions. The GNB was deployed to control protests, at times taking a leading role beyond its constitutionally assigned responsibilities. The GNB failed to prevent non-state armed groups from harassing and attacking protestors on July 30. Many of the officials designated today are leaders of the GNB’s military districts and operational zones, known as the Strategic Regions for Integral Defense (REDI) and Operational Zones of Integral Defense (ZODI).

• Dilio Guillermo Rodriguez Diaz is a Capital REDI commander. Previously, he served as the commander of Capital 81 of the ZODI and as the rector of the Bolivarian Military University.
• Jose Yunior Herrera Duarte has served as head of GNB Zone Command No. 51 since 2022.
• Carlos Eduardo Aigster Villamizar has served as commander and division general for Miranda State of the ZODI since 2023. He also served as the commander of GNB Zone Command No. 62 in Bolivar state. 
• Jesus Rafael Villamizar Gomez has served as the Central REDI commander since 2024. Previously, he served as La Guaira ZODI commander and as the head of the Presidential Honor Guard. He is suspected of personal enrichment while employed as a high-ranking Venezuelan official. 
• Angel Daniel Balestrini Jaramillo previously served as the ZODI Aragua commander.
• Pablo Ernesto Lizano Colmenter previously servedas the ZODI Carabobo commander. 
• Luis Gerardo Reyes Rivero previously served as commander and division general for the Yaracuy ZODI. 
• Jose Alfredo Rivera Bastardo has served as GNB director of services for Maintenance of Internal Order Division since 2024. He previously served as the commander of ZODI Falcon. 
• Alberto Alexander Matheus Melendez has served as the GNB director of Logistics Division since 2024. He previously served as he chief of Venezuela’s National Anti-Drug Command. 
• Jesus Ramon Fernandez Alayon is the director of Operational Readiness of the GNB. He also held previous roles as the chief of the Coastal Surveillance Command and as the commander of GNB Command Zone in Lara. 

BNP, SEBIN, DGCIM, and Militia Officials

Venezuela’s large security apparatus has also contributed to violence following the election. The BNP is a Venezuelan security agency responsible for harassment and arbitrary detentions, including minors and in response to protests in rejection of the official information on the electoral results disseminated by the current President of the Venezuelan National Electoral Council.SEBIN has detained journalists who report on the electoral process, repression, and the abuse of power. In addition, the Bolivarian Militia is a special corps composed of the military reserves and the territorial militia with the purpose of supporting the Venezuelan Armed Forces. 

• Ruben Dario Santiago Servigna has served as brigadier general of the BNP since 2023. He is also the officer in charge at the national level of the implementation of the electoral operation of citizen security. 
• Alexis Jose Rodriguez Cabello is the director of SEBIN. He is the cousin of Maduro’s Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello Rondon, who has been sanctioned by OFAC since 2018.
• Javier Jose Marcana Tabata is the head of the DGCIM and the Presidential Honor Guard. 
• Orlando Ramon Romero Bolivar has commanded the Bolivarian Militia since 2024. He also previously served as the Central REDI commander.

VENEZUELAN OFFICIALs FROM VARIOUS MINISTRIES

The following individuals are Maduro-aligned officials of various ministries, responsible for executing policies supporting anti-democratic acts. These individuals are being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13692, “Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Venezuela,” as amended, for being current or former officials of the Government of Venezuela. 

• Anibal Eduardo Coronado Millan has served as minister of Maduro’s Office of the President since April 2024 and as Government Performance Monitor of Maduro’s Office of the President. He is also the “chief of government” in the Insular Territory of Francisco de Miranda. Previously, he served in the Presidential Honor Guard. Maduro’s Office of the President has carried out Maduro’s directive to commit electoral fraud, repress Venezuelans, and continue anti-democratic acts. 
• William Alfredo Castillo Bolle has served as Maduro’s vice-minister of Anti-Blockade Policies in the Venezuelan Ministry of Economy, Finances, and External Trade since 2022.
• Ricardo Jose Menendez Prieto has been Maduro’s vice president of Planning in the Office of the Vice President since 2014. He previously served as Minister of Higher Education, Minister of Industry, and Minister of Science, Technology, and Intermediary Industry.
• Freddy Alfred Nazaret Nanez Contreras is Maduro’s minister of People’s Power for Communication and the sectoral vice president of Communication, Culture, and Tourism. He has served as sectoral vice president for Communication and Culture and Minister of Communication and Information. Previously, he served as president of the Venezuelan National Television.
• Daniella Desiree Cabello Contreras has served as Maduro’s president of the Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency since September 2024. The Venezuelan Export Promotion Agency is tasked with diversifying Venezuelan exports and with jointly drafting the Unified Protocol for Non-Oil Exports and Related Activities, which creates a single payment for exports from Venezuela. She previously served as the president of Venezuela’s Country Brand Foundation who reported directly to Maduro’s executive vice president, Delcy Eloina Rodriguez Gomez, who has been sanctioned by OFAC since 2018. She is also the daughter of Diosdado Cabello Rondon. 
• Julio Jose Garcia Zerpa has been Maduro’s minister of Penitentiary Services since 2024. Previously, he served as deputy for the state of Tachira and holds the position of first vice president of the Finance Commission of the Maduro-aligned National Assembly (AN). Many opposition figures and other political prisoners are also unjustly imprisoned. Venezuelan prisons have been criticized for depriving prisoners of their liberties, critical overcrowding, procedural delay, and prison neglect. In June, inmates from prisons across Venezuela led a hunger strike, demanding humanitarian measures and transfers to facilities closer to their relatives or where they were previously held. 
• America Valentina Perez Davilahas served as second vice president of the AN. The AN has supported Maduro’s fraudulent claim of victory in the July 28 presidential election. 

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above, and of any entities that are owned directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by them, individually, or with other blocked persons, that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. 

In addition, financial institutions and other persons that engage in certain transactions or activities with the sanctioned entities and individuals may expose themselves to sanctions or be subject to an enforcement action. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any designated person, or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. 

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

Click here for more information on the individuals identified today.

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WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is sanctioning five Mexican individuals associated with the Gulf Cartel, one of Mexico’s most dangerous criminal organizations. Those designated today are tied to the Gulf Cartel’s involvement in criminal activities associated with illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, human smuggling, and narcotics trafficking in the Gulf of Mexico. IUU fishing often involves criminal activity, forced labor, and human rights abuses, and is often a revenue stream for criminal organizations. IUU fishing is also a threat to U.S. maritime security, as criminal organizations may use the same vessels for smuggling narcotics and humans across borders.

“Today’s action highlights how transnational criminal organizations like the Gulf Cartel rely on a variety of illicit schemes like IUU fishing to fund their operations, along with narcotics trafficking and human smuggling,” said Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith. “Treasury, as part of a whole-of-government approach to combatting transnational criminal organizations, remains committed to disrupting these networks and restricting these groups’ ability to profit from these activities.”

Today’s sanctions are the result of strong collaboration with the U.S. Coast Guard, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This action was also coordinated closely with La Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF), Mexico’s Financial Intelligence Unit.

HARMFUL IMPACTS OF IUU FISHING

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is a member of the U.S. Interagency Working Group on IUU Fishing, which was established by the Maritime Securities and Fisheries Enforcement (SAFE) Act and is the primary mechanism for coordination of counter-IUU fishing actions across the U.S. government. On June 27, 2022, President Biden issued the National Security Memorandum on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Associated Labor Abuses, which notes that IUU fishing and related harmful fishing practices are among the greatest threats to ocean health and are significant causes of global overfishing, contributing to the collapse or decline of fisheries that are critical to the economic growth, food systems, and ecosystems of numerous countries around the world. 

CRIMINAL OPERATIONS OF MEXICO’S GULF CARTEL 

The Gulf Cartel is a long-standing, powerful drug trafficking organization that operates throughout Tamaulipas State, Mexico. The Gulf Cartel has moved arms, drugs, and migrants into the United States, and was responsible for the kidnapping and murder of American citizens in March 2023.

On December 15, 2021, OFAC designated the Gulf Cartel pursuant to Executive Order 14059 (E.O. 14059) for having engaged in, or attempted to engage in, activities or transactions that have materially contributed to, or pose a significant risk of materially contributing to, the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production. OFAC had previously sanctioned the Gulf Cartel as a significant foreign narcotics trafficker pursuant to the Kingpin Act in 2007.

EXPOSING THE GULF CARTEL’S ILLICIT LANCHA OPERATIONS

 

 

The Gulf Cartel engages in the illicit trade of red snapper and shark species through “lancha” operations based out of Playa Bagdad, also known as Playa Costa Azul, a beach located several miles south of the U.S. border. Lanchas are light, fast-moving boats utilized by Mexican fishermen that are generally between 20 to 30 feet long. Apart from their use for IUU fishing in U.S. waters, lanchas are also used to move illicit drugs and migrants into the United States. 

As the fishing of red snapper and shark species is under strict limits in the United States, and therefore those species are more abundant in U.S. waters, Mexican fishermen cross into U.S. waters to fish via these lanchas. They then bring their catch back to lancha camps into Mexico, where the product is ultimately sold and, oftentimes, exported into the United States. This activity earns millions a year for lancha camps. In addition, it also leads to the death of other marine species that are inadvertently caught.

Ismael Guerra Salinas (a.k.a. Mayelo) and his brother Omar Guerra Salinas (a.k.a. Samorano) are the Gulf Cartel members in charge of Playa Bagdad. Beyond overseeing IUU fishing, Mayelo and Samorano manage drug trafficking operations on Playa Bagdad. Mayelo has also facilitated human smuggling conducted via these lanchas, in which the individuals are kept hidden for transport across the Rio Grande River. In addition, Francisco Javier Sierra Angulo (a.k.a. El Borrado) currently leads the Gulf Cartel in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. El Borrado was previously in charge of the Valle Hermoso Plaza for the Gulf Cartel.

Raul Decuir Garcia (a.k.a. La Burra) and Ildelfonso Carrillo Sapien (a.k.a. El Chivo) are lancha camp owners who oversee and enable lancha fishermen crossing into U.S. waters for or on behalf of the Gulf Cartel.

Mayelo, Samorano, El Borrado, La Burra, and El Chivo are being sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 14059 for being owned, controlled, or directed by, or for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Gulf Cartel, a person sanctioned pursuant to E.O. 14059.

SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS

As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. U.S. persons may face civil or criminal penalties for violations of E.O. 14059 and the Kingpin Act. Non-U.S. persons are also prohibited from causing or conspiring to cause U.S. persons to wittingly or unwittingly violate U.S. sanctions, as well as engaging in conduct that evades U.S. sanctions. OFAC’s Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC’s enforcement of U.S. sanctions, including the factors that OFAC generally considers when determining an appropriate response to an apparent violation.

The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC’s ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC’s Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here.

For more information on the individuals designated today, click here.

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The State Small Business Credit Initiative reached over 3,600 small businesses in the first two years of the program. The nearly 3,900 loan and investment transactions are expected to help create or retain over 46,200 jobs.  

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury) released a new report summarizing data from the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) for the first two years of the program, from the first transaction on August 5, 2022 through December 31, 2023. The American Rescue Plan reauthorized and expanded SSBCI, which provides nearly $10 billion to support small businesses and empower them to access the capital needed to invest in job-creating opportunities. SSBCI provides funds to states, the District of Columbia, territories, and Tribal governments to promote American entrepreneurship, support small business ownership, and expand access to capital across the country, including in underserved communities. 

The SSBCI Annual Report provides a comprehensive summary of data reported to Treasury by participating jurisdictions for the years 2022 and 2023, covering almost 3,900 transactions supporting over 3,600 small businesses. The report builds upon a preliminary fact sheet released in July 2024 previewing this data. In total, jurisdictions reported expending nearly $750 million in SSBCI funding to support transactions that resulted in $3.1 billion in overall new financing, which includes $2.6 billion in private financing. The nearly 3,900 loan and investment transactions are expected to help create or retain over 46,200 jobs.  

“Small businesses and hard-working entrepreneurs are at the core of the American economy and supporting them has been a central priority of the Biden-Harris Administration,” said U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. “This report highlights the success of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to ensuring federal resources reach entrepreneurs and underinvested communities.” 

Since the Biden-Harris Administration took office, there has been a historic 20 million new small business applications in part thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments in the success and growth of small businesses. Treasury’s SSBCI program helps fill in gaps to support small business growth by providing funding to states, the District of Columbia, territories, and Tribal governments, allowing jurisdictions to tailor small business financing programs to local market challenges and opportunities. The small business financing and technical assistance programs described in this report are designed to improve the flow of capital to small businesses across the nation and in Indian Country. With nearly $10 billion to be invested in small business success over the course of the program, SSBCI will continue to unlock access to private capital and critical technical assistance to bolster small business support networks across the country. 

The SSBCI Annual Report shows: 

• A commitment to small transactions: The median amount of new financing secured by businesses in SSBCI loan transactions was $87,700, and for investments it was $880,000. 
• Support for new businesses: In SSBCI credit programs, the median business had three employees and had been in business for four years, helping small business owners become credit and investment ready to grow their businesses 
• Support for underserved businesses: 40% of transactions supported minority-owned businesses, Black and Asian-owned businesses accounted for 14% and 13% transactions, respectively. Latino-owned businesses represented 14% of transactions. Overall, 75% of transactions supported underserved businesses. 
• Support for very small businesses: 78% of overall transactions supported businesses with fewer than 10 employees. 
• Partnerships with community banks: Over 31% of participating lenders were Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and 51% were community banks embedded in their communities. Over 470 banks, credit unions, and CDFIs, and over 60 investors have made loans or investments supported by SSBCI programs. 63% of loan transactions were supported by CDFIs. 
• A strong start for venture capital programs: Jurisdictions invested $211 million in SSBCI funds to support startups and other small businesses through venture capital programs. This funding was matched by private investments resulting in $1.2 billion in new financing to over 600 companies.  
• Support for businesses across industries: The top five SSBCI-supported industries were: (1) transportation and warehousing; (2) professional, scientific, and technical services; (3) accommodation and food services; (4) manufacturing; and (5) retail trade. 

The impact of SSBCI is most clearly seen through stories of individual businesses that have received loans or investments. Examples of businesses that have benefitted from SSBCI support include: 

• Global Retool Group America, located in Brighton, Michigan, is a manufacturer of automation equipment and assembly lines for use by a variety of industries. The company received its first working capital line of credit, enabled by the Michigan Strategic Fund’s collateral support program supported by SSBCI. 
• Salmon River Outpost, located near California’s Hoopa Valley Reservation, is a grocery store located in a food desert. The company received a loan through a credit support program established by Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians Economic Development Corporation (ATNI-EDC), a Tribal consortium.  
• Cap Creations, located in Olathe, Kansas, is a producer of graduation caps that accommodate a variety of hair textures and types. The company received a venture angel investment through Grow Kansas (GROWKS), part of NetWork Kansas, the state’s venture-focused SSBCI program. 

Through the SSBCI Capital Program, Treasury has approved plans for small business financing programs totaling over $8.9 billion and representing every state and territory, the District of Columbia, and 236 Tribal governments. Treasury has approved SSBCI Technical Assistance Grant Program funding totaling nearly $151 million and representing 65 jurisdictions, including 18 Tribal governments. Treasury also recently announced 14 awardees of the competitive $75 million Investing in America Small Business Opportunity Program (SBOP).  

Read the full SSBCI Annual Report .

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WASHINGTON – On November 19, 2024, the Treasury Department hosted the third annual conference on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) in Washington, DC. The conference featured speakers from each of the CFIUS member departments and agencies as well as other departments and agencies involved in the CFIUS process. The conference is an opportunity for CFIUS to educate the business community and stakeholders more broadly on the goals and operations of CFIUS, recent developments, and sectors of importance to national security.

The topics discussed included compliance and enforcement, geographical proximity of real estate to sensitive sites and its bearing on national security considerations, and considerations around technology, infrastructure, and data. Speakers emphasized the goals of CFIUS in safeguarding national security while operating against the backdrop of the longstanding U.S. open investment policy.

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