; or (iii) routine servicing and maintenance of products, to the extent that alternative sources are not readily or reasonably available; (D) to information and technology essential to United States products or production; or (E) to medical or other humanitarian items. (d) Termination of sanctions A sanction imposed pursuant to this section shall apply for a period of at least 12 months following the imposition of one sanction and shall cease to apply thereafter only if the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that reliable information indicates that the foreign person with respect to which the determination was made under subsection (a)(1) has ceased to aid or abet any foreign government, project, or entity in its efforts to acquire chemical or biological weapons capability as described in that subsection. (e) Waiver (1) Criterion for waiver The President may waive the application of any sanction imposed on any person pursuant to this section if the President determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that such waiver is important to the national security interests of the United States. (2) Notification of and report to Congress If the President decides to exercise the waiver authority provided in paragraph (1), the President shall so notify the appropriate congressional committees not less than 20 days before the waiver takes effect. Such notification shall include a report fully articulating the rationale and circumstances which led the President to exercise the waiver authority. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate. (2) Defense articles