The US government has had a system to control exports through much of their history. In modern times, this aspect of export controls took a new meaning and role with the onset of the cold war in the late 40s. The US relied principally on two legislative acts to enforce such export controls: The Export Administration Act (EAA) of 1979 for the control of exports of dual-use goods and technologies, and the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) for the export of defence articles and defence services.