[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9637 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9637
To improve defense cooperation between the United States and the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 17, 2024
Mr. Phillips (for himself and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a
period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To improve defense cooperation between the United States and the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Jordan Defense
Cooperation Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) expeditious consideration of certifications of letters
of offer to sell defense articles, defense services, design and
construction services, and major defense equipment to the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under section 36(b) of the Arms
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(b)) is fully consistent with
United States security and foreign policy interests and the
objectives of world peace and security; and
(2) the United States commitment to the stability and
security of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is ironclad, as
demonstrated by the signing of the fourth Memorandum of
Understanding on Strategic Partnership in September 2022, which
provides $1,450,000,000 per year in United States bilateral
foreign assistance to Jordan beginning in fiscal year 2023 and
ending in fiscal year 2029.
SEC. 3. ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION.
(a) Arms Export Control Act.--
(1) In general.--During the 3-year period beginning on the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Hashemite Kingdom of
Jordan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in each
of the provisions of law described in paragraph (2) for
purposes of applying and administering such provisions of law.
(2) Covered provisions of law.--The provisions of law
described in this paragraph are the following provisions of the
Arms Export Control Act:
(A) Subsections (b)(2), (d)(2)(B), (d)(3)(A)(i),
and (d)(5) of section 3 (22 U.S.C. 2753).
(B) Subsections (e)(2)(A), (h)(1)(A), and (h)(2) of
section 21 (22 U.S.C. 2761).
(C) Subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(6), (c), and
(d)(2)(A) of section 36 (22 U.S.C. 2776).
(D) Section 62(c)(1) (22 U.S.C. 2796a(c)(1)).
(E) Section 63(a)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2796b(a)(2)).
(b) Establishment of Capabilities.--
(1) Authorization.--
(A) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the
Secretary of Defense, acting through the Commander of
United States Central Command, shall seek to work in
cooperation with the Minister of Defense of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to establish or further
capabilities for countering rockets, cruise and
ballistic missiles, and manned and unmanned aerial
systems that threaten the United States, Jordan, and
other allies and partners of the United States,
including threats from Iran and its terrorist proxies.
(B) Protection of sensitive technology and
information.--The Secretary shall ensure that any
activities carried out under this subsection are
conducted in a manner that appropriately protects
sensitive technology and information and the national
security interests of the United States and the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
(2) Limitation and report.--Activities may not be carried
out under the authority provided by paragraph (1) until the
date on which the Secretary submits to the appropriate
congressional committees a report setting forth the following:
(A) A memorandum of agreement between the United
States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan regarding
sharing of research and development costs for the
capabilities described in paragraph (1)(A), including
any supporting documents.
(B) A certification that such memorandum of
agreement--
(i) requires sharing of costs of projects,
including in-kind support, between the United
States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;
(ii) establishes a framework to negotiate
the rights to any intellectual property
developed under the memorandum of agreement;
and
(iii) requires the United States Government
to receive semiannual reports on expenditure of
funds, if any, by the Government of the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, including a
description of what the funds have been used
for, when funds were expended, and an
identification of entities that expended the
funds.
(3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee
on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives.
(c) Middle East Integrated Air and Missile Defense.--
(1) In general.--Pursuant to section 1658 of the James M.
Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023
(Public Law 117-263), the Secretary of Defense shall, in
consultation with the Secretary of State and with the
concurrence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, develop a plan
to bolster the participation of Jordan in a multinational
integrated air and missile defense architecture to protect the
people, infrastructure, and territory of Jordan from cruise and
ballistic missiles, manned and unmanned aerial systems, and
rocket attacks from Iran or groups linked to Iran.
(2) Briefing.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary
and the Commander of United States Central Command shall
provide to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed
Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives--
(A) a briefing on the progress of the Department of
Defense towards bolstering the participation of Jordan
in a multinational integrated air and missile defense
architecture; and
(B) a list of requirements, including cost
estimates, for strengthening the defense of Jordan
within this architecture.
(d) Sunset.--The authority to carry out activities described in
subsection (b) and to provide support described in subsection (c) shall
expire on December 31, 2028.
SEC. 4. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Secretary of
State is authorized to enter into a new memorandum of understanding
with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, following the expiration of the
current memorandum in fiscal year 2029, to further increase economic
support funds, military cooperation, including joint military
exercises, personnel exchanges, support for international peacekeeping
missions, and enhanced strategic dialogue.
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