"We don't have enough data about commercial offsets," said William A. Reinsch, the under secretary of commerce for export administration.

Specific notice is to be given only by, or at the direction of, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Export Administration.

The Garn amendment made export administration an autonomous unit within the Commerce Department and outside the trade administration office.

Until several months ago, Mr. Zia was chief counsel for export administration in the Commerce Department.

"We'll be looking at this very closely," William A. Reinsch, the Under Secretary for export administration, said.

Under the recommended consolidation, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Export Administration would be selected as the administrative agency.

"That agenda was a very important component of what we were trying to achieve," said Mr. Padilla, now an assistant secretary of commerce for export administration.

In May 1997, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Export Administration announced that it would ease the restrictions on products used by financial institutions.

"I am a little surprised," said William Reinsch, Deputy Secretary of Commerce in charge of export administration.

Paul Freedenberg, Under Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, said the changes showed that some technology exports could be increased without jeopardizing the national security.