Obama poised to loosen rules on export of technology

The Obama administration is overhauling the decades-old rules for the export of sensitive military and other technology, jettisoning what industry groups criticize as an antiquated Cold War set of regulations for a more streamlined approach.

After a year-long review by officials at the State, Defense and Commerce departments, President Obama is scheduled to announce plans Tuesday to consolidate some enforcement activities in a single agency and develop a clearer list of products whose sale is restricted. U.S. export controls cover tens of thousands of products and services and are overseen by three agencies. It is a system U.S. businesses say often leaves them hamstrung, even when it comes to selling less-sensitive items that are readily available in other industrialized countries.