An obscure U.S. government committee responsible for vetting cross-border transactions for national security interests is taking on increased importance amid rising tensions with China and other countries in the Trump administration.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, an interagency group that reviews foreign investments for national security implications and is chaired by the U.S. Treasury secretary, is reviewing more of mergers and acquisitions involving foreign-based companies and American ones.

The reviews are taking longer and more deals are being scuttled because of concerns about foreign investment in companies with strategic or sensitive assets. Evidence suggests the committee is taking a broader array of security concerns into account as well, including the security of personally identifiable and tracking data, lawyers in the practice say.