WASHINGTON -- The Bureau of Industry and Security stressed the new export control rules announced Tuesday are designed to protect military security even while streamlining the process for sensitive and less-restricted products.

The officials, under secretary of commerce for industry and security Eric Hirschhorn and assistant secretary of commerce for export administration Kevin Wolf, said items would no longer be screened for the designers' intent. Furthermore, off-the-shelf parts would not fall under export control.

While the new structure establishes a third tier, the BIS expects items obsoleted by technology advances will drop to lower tiers or off the control list altogether, according to reports.

The officials said the government will try to merge the various bodies now responsible for overseeing sensitive exports, a move that requires Congressional approval, and shrink penalties assessed to companies with good internal compliance programs while cracking down on individuals who break the rules.