The House Foreign Affairs Committee is developing legislation that would overhaul U.S. controls on the export of certain technologies with potential military applications, the panel’s chairman said.

Industry groups and experts have argued for years that the controls often hamper trade by requiring licenses for too many products that are widely available in global commercial markets. And more resources should be focused on protecting truly sensitive technologies, they say.

On Thursday the White House said the National Economic Council and National Security Council will oversee an interagency study of the system of controls over exports of defense goods and “dual-use” items that have both commercial and military applications.

House Foreign Affairs Chairman Howard L. Berman , D-Calif., said in a statement afterward that he has launched a congressional review of dual-use exports, with an eye to filing legislation in 2010.

“I hope to introduce a new Export Administration Act in the beginning of next year that will overhaul the dual-use export control system,” he said.

The law has been reauthorized for brief periods and is currently kept in force by executive order under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Under that act, the White House extended the authorities on Thursday for another year.

The Aerospace Industries Association, which represents defense and aerospace companies, applauded the administration review in a statement Friday.

“The economic and security challenges our country faces continue to grow more complex, and we must have a modern export control system that protects U.S. technology while allowing us to cooperate and trade with our close allies and partners,” said the association’s president and CEO, Marion Blakey.

Bill Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, an industry group, called the president’s announcement “long overdue.”