Exclusive-U.S. to vet human rights more closely before approving arms deals - officials

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks while launching a new plan for Americans to receive booster shots and vaccinations against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), onstage in an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, U.S. October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration will unveil on Thursday a long-awaited overhaul of arms export policy with increased emphasis on human rights, three State Department officials familiar with the new Conventional Arms Transfer (CAT) policy told Reuters.

The CAT policy covers review of security assistance, government-to-government weapons transfers and licensed commercial sales of U.S.-origin military equipment and services overseen by the State Department as well as the Defense Department and Department of Commerce, including firearms commonly available in the United States.