[Pages S3065-S3066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 244--AFFIRMING THAT THE UNDERLYING PURPOSE OF THE 
  FOREIGN EMOLUMENTS CLAUSE RENDERS THE ACCEPTANCE AND TRANSFER OF A 
  PLANE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF QATAR, WITHOUT THE EXPLICIT CONSENT OF 
 CONGRESS, AN ILLEGAL EMOLUMENT, WITHHOLDING THE CONSENT OF THE SENATE 
 TO THE ACCEPTANCE AND TRANSFER OF PLANE FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF QATAR, 
AND DEMANDING THE TRANSFER OF ANY PLANE RECEIVED BY PRESIDENT DONALD J. 
TRUMP OR ENTITIES UNDER HIS CONTROL FROM THE GOVERNMENT OF QATAR TO THE 
           PERMANENT CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs:

                              S. Res. 244

       Whereas President Donald J. Trump reportedly plans to--
       (1) accept a Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet from the government of 
     Qatar for United States Government use as Air Force One 
     during the Trump Administration; and
       (2) transfer that plane nominally to the Donald J. Trump 
     Presidential Library shortly before the expiration of the 
     term of office of President Trump but continue personal use 
     of the plane after the Presidency of President Trump;

       Whereas the estimated value of the plane is $400,000,000, 
     making the plane one of the biggest gifts to the United 
     States from a foreign government, if accepted;
       Whereas Air Force One is equipped with advanced, 
     specialized communications technologies, so that Air Force 
     One may transmit highly classified national security 
     information and serve as a mobile command center in the event 
     of an attack on the United States;
       Whereas accepting a plane from a foreign government poses 
     counterintelligence and other national security concerns, 
     such as the insertion of listening devices on the plane;
       Whereas ensuring the plane is free from all security risks, 
     including listening devices, could require stripping the 
     plane down to its parts;
       Whereas retrofitting the Qatari plane to serve as Air Force 
     One also requires the installation of multiple top-secret 
     systems that enable secure Government communications, midair 
     refueling, and missile defense and that protect against 
     electronic jamming and electromagnetic pulse attacks;
       Whereas such a process could cost taxpayers more than 
     $1,000,000,000 and take years to complete;
       Whereas the only means of speeding up such work requires 
     relaxing current Air Force One security rules;
       Whereas, even if such work is sped up, the Qatari plane may 
     only be ready near the end of the term of office of President 
     Trump, at which time the plane will be turned over to the 
     Donald J. Trump Presidential Library;
       Whereas all fees related to the transfer of the plane to 
     the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library reportedly will be 
     paid by the United States Air Force, rather than by President 
     Trump himself;
       Whereas the acceptance of a substantial gift from a foreign 
     government could unduly influence the foreign policies of the 
     United States;

[[Page S3066]]

       Whereas the Foreign Emoluments Clause contained in clause 8 
     of section 9 of article I of the Constitution of the United 
     States provides that no present, emolument, office, or title, 
     of any kind, may be accepted by the President of the United 
     States from a king, prince, or foreign state without the 
     consent of Congress;
       Whereas the Founders included the Foreign Emoluments Clause 
     in the Constitution of the United States, by unanimous 
     agreement of the State delegations, to ensure the President 
     would remain loyal to the Nation and the public interest;
       Whereas the Foreign Emoluments Clause has long been 
     understood to be `` `directed against every kind of influence 
     by foreign governments upon officers of the United States,' 
     in the absence of consent by Congress'';
       Whereas the President of the United States has a 
     constitutional and statutory obligation to uphold the public 
     trust; and
       Whereas the violation of the Foreign Emoluments Clause of 
     the Constitution of the United States undermines public trust 
     and the integrity of public office in the United States: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) affirms that the underlying purpose of the Foreign 
     Emoluments Clause of the Constitution of the United States 
     renders the acceptance and transfer of a plane from the 
     government of Qatar, without the explicit consent of 
     Congress, an illegal emolument, regardless of the legal 
     technicalities of ownership;
       (2) withholds the consent of the Senate to the acceptance 
     and transfer of any plane from the government of Qatar, as 
     such acceptance and transfer poses unacceptable potential 
     costs to taxpayers in the United States as well as grave 
     risks to national security and of foreign corruption; and
       (3) demands the transfer of any plane received by President 
     Donald J. Trump or entities under the control of President 
     Trump from the government of Qatar, in violation of the 
     Foreign Emoluments Clause contained in clause 8 of section 9 
     of article I of the Constitution of the United States, to the 
     permanent control of the United States Government.

                          ____________________