March 4, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 43 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session
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ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 43
(Senate - March 04, 2020)
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[Pages S1468-S1471] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act requires that Congress receive prior notification of certain proposed arms sales as defined by that statute. Upon such notification, the Congress has 30 calendar days during which the sale may be reviewed. The provision stipulates that, in the Senate, the notification of proposed sales shall be sent to the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In keeping with the committee's intention to see that relevant information is available to the full Senate, I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record the notifications which have been received. If the cover letter references a classified annex, then such annex is available to all Senators in the office of the Foreign Relations Committee, room SD-423. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: [[Page S1469]] Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Arlington, VA. Hon. James E. Risch, Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements of Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 20-09 concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and Acceptance to the Government of Poland for defense articles and services estimated to cost $100 million. After this letter is delivered to your office, we plan to issue a news release to notify the public of this proposed sale. Sincerely, Charles W. Hooper, Lieutenant General, USA, Director. Enclosures. Transmittal No. 20-09 Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended (i) Prospective Purchaser: Government of Poland. (ii) Total Estimated Value: Major Defense Equipment* $75 million. Other $25 million. Total $100 million. (iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or Services under Consideration for Purchase: Major Defense Equipment (MDE): One hundred eighty (180) Javelin Missiles. Seventy-nine (79) Javelin Command Launch Units (CLU). Non-MDE: Also included are Basic Skill Trainers (BST), Missile Simulation Rounds (MSR), Battery Coolant Units (BCU), tool kits, modified 2-level maintenance parts, training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, transportation and other related elements of logistics support. (iv) Military Department: Army (PL-B-UDN). (v) Prior Related Cases, if any: None. (vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed to be Paid: None. (vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: See Attached Annex. (viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: March 4, 2020. *As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control Act. POLICY JUSTIFICATION Poland--Javelin Missile and Command Launch Unit The Government of Poland has requested to buy one hundred eighty (180) Javelin missiles and seventy-nine (79) Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs). Also included are Basic Skill Trainers (BST), Missile Simulation Rounds (MSR), Battery Coolant Units (BCU), tool kits, modified 2-level maintenance parts, training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, transportation and other related elements of logistics support. The total estimated program cost is $100 million. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally and partner nation which is an important force for peace, political stability, and economic progress in Eastern Europe. This proposed sale of the Javelin system will help Poland build its long-term defense capacity to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity in order to meet its national defense requirements. Poland will have no difficulty absorbing this system into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The prime contractors will be Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture, Orlando, Florida and Tucson, Arizona. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. However, the purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor(s). Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Poland. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. Transmittal No. 20-09 Notice of Proposed Issuance of Letter of Offer Pursuant to Section 36(b)(l) of the Arms Export Control Act Annex Item No. vii (vii) Sensitivity of Technology: 1. The Javelin Weapon System is a medium-range, man- portable, shoulder-launched, fire-and-forget, anti-tank system for infantry, scouts, and combat engineers. It may also be mounted on a variety of platforms including vehicles, aircraft, and watercraft. The system weighs 49.5 pounds and has a maximum range in excess of 2,500 meters. The system is highly lethal against tanks and other systems with conventional and reactive armors. The system possesses a secondary capability against bunkers. 2. The Javelin Weapon System is comprised of two major tactical components, which are a reusable Command Launch Unit (CLU) and a round contained in a disposable launch tube assembly. The CLU incorporates an integrated day-night sight that provides a target engagement capability in adverse weather and countermeasure environments. The CLU may also be used in a stand-alone mode for battlefield surveillance and target detection. The CLU's thermal sight is a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor. 3. The Javelin's key technical feature is the use of fire- and-forget technology which allows the gunner to fire and immediately relocate or take cover. The missile is autonomously guided to the target which allows the gunner the ability to reload and engage another target after firing a missile. The missile has a tandem warhead that is effective against armor threats. 4. The Javelin Missile System hardware and the documentation are UNCLASSIFIED. The missile software which resides in the CLU is CLASSIFIED. 5. If a technologically advanced adversary obtains knowledge of the specific hardware and software elements, the information could be used to develop countermeasures or equivalent systems that might reduce weapon system effectiveness or be used in the development of a system with similar or advanced capabilities. 6. A determination has been made that Poland can provide substantially the same degree of protection for the sensitive technology being released as the U.S. Government. This proposed sale is necessary to further the U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives outlined in the Policy Justification. 7. All defense articles and services listed on this transmittal are authorized for release and export to the Government of Poland. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: National Association of Area Agencies of Aging, January 31, 2020. Dear Chairmen Alexander and Collins, Ranking Members Murray and Casey, Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Foxx: On behalf of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), which represents the country's 622 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) and is an advocacy voice for the more than 250 OAA Title VI Native American aging programs, we write today in strong support of the recently introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to update and reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA) through 2024. The Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020, an amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4334, co-sponsored by Senators Collins and Casey, represents the diligent work of all of your Committee Members and staff to secure broad and bipartisan support to responsibly update a landmark Act that supports millions of older adults and caregivers in communities across the nation. As you well know, the OAA is the cornerstone of the nation's non-Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS) system, providing older adults with much-needed supports, including in-home care, congregate and home- delivered meals, adult day care, information and referral assistance, case management, transportation, legal services and caregiver support/respite. n4a appreciates your recognition of what is already working in the Act, including its unique delivery structure and intentional emphasis on local flexibility. We especially commend the bicameral and bipartisan work to include the following provisions in the amendment to H.R. 4334, as they are among the most important provisions in the bill and reflect many of n4a's policy recommendations, which we shared with Congress in March 2019. We very much appreciate the annual increases in the authorized funding levels. A lack of adequate funding is the number one barrier our members face in meeting the needs of older adults and caregivers, and with the rapidly increasing numbers of older adults in every community, the bill's recommendations to increase core programs by seven percent in year one and six percent in subsequent years is an excellent starting point for appropriators to heed. Additionally, we are pleased that the bill the returns to a five-year authorization period, which provides greater stability and allows the Aging Network to focus on achieving the Act's goals, rather than divert time to advocacy to renew a law that works so well. Part of any reauthorization is ensuring that the law remains clear in its direction, even as other systems or laws change over time. Section 118 is an excellent example of this, whereby the bill makes clear that Area Agencies on Aging can engage in emerging opportunities to serve greater numbers of older adults through non-OAA funding streams. Examples include contracts with health care payers to provide meals or transportation to clients; establishing private-pay programs to enable AAAs to provide services to those who can afford to purchase OAA-like services when OAA resources are limited or unavailable; or similar mechanisms that serve the goals of the Act while operating outside of it. The bill also makes clear the role of the Assistant Secretary on Aging to continue encouraging and training the Aging Network on these matters of business acumen, innovation and changing models of health care and social services. We also commend the Title VI Native American aging program provisions. By allowing the Administration on Aging to create demonstrations around a broader array of Supportive Services than most Title VI aging programs can currently provide and includes increased funding to do so--the bill will help tribes build capacity and better meet the needs of the elders they serve. [[Page S1470]] By including a robust new research and demonstration authority for the Administration on Aging (AoA) in Title IV, we appreciate your work to create a research and evaluation center in Sec. 127 focused on promoting and coordinating research and evaluation activities to enhance performance, develop new models and produce data-driven assessments of the value of the OAA programs. While we are disappointed that these activities lack a specific funding authorization, we are pleased that lawmakers acknowledge the importance of these activities and the need to create a dedicated entity focused on them. While a smaller measure, eliminating a 10 percent cap on serving grandparents and other older relative caregivers under the Act's Title III E National Family Caregiver Support Program is also important to n4a members. Eliminating this arbitrary cap reflects the growing realities of the opioid epidemic and the need for sufficient state and local flexibility to serve these older caregivers who face uniquely challenging caregiving burdens. The research base revealing the negative health outcomes from social isolation and loneliness continues to grow and increasingly documents the risks to the health and well-being of older adults. n4a appreciates the bill's thoughtful addition of language in multiple places in the Act to recognize the challenge we face, as well as the fact that many core OAA programs already address social isolation and promote social engagement. n4a requested a minor change to ensure that Area Agencies on Aging have access to a state's cost-sharing policy or guidance. Section 212 of the bill also accomplishes this. We will not detail the many other provisions in the bill-- most of which we support or take no position on--but will again reiterate our thanks that this final product reflects our members' concerns and realities. Congress was diligent in soliciting and considering the recommendations of a broad array of constituencies and organizations during this reauthorization process. Thank you for your leadership in crafting an OAA update that ensures that the Act's innovative, efficient programs enabling older Americans to live at home and in their communities for as long as possible continues to be a lifeline in communities across the country. We urge the Senate and House to act swiftly to approve the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020, H.R. 4334, and send it to President Trump for his signature. The stability that a finalized and current OAA reauthorization provides is critical to ensuring that the millions of older adults and caregivers served by the OAA can continue to live with dignity and independence in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or n4a's policy staff at 202.872.0888. Sincerely, Sandy Markwood, Chief Executive Officer. ____ Meals on Wheels America, January 30, 2019. Dear Chairmen Alexander and Collins and Ranking Members Murray and Casey: On behalf of Meals on Wheels America, the nationwide network of community-based senior nutrition programs and the individuals they serve, we write to endorse the ``Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020.'' This legislation would amend H.R. 4334, the Dignity in Aging Act that passed by voice vote in the House last fall, and reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA) for five years. We commend you for your leadership and hard work to reach this bipartisan, bicameral agreement and urge unanimous passage as soon as possible. Since 1965, the OAA has been the primary piece of federal legislation focused on establishing, coordinating and strengthening home- and community-based social and nutrition services for adults 60 and older and their families. OAA services like Meals on Wheels, transportation, caregiver assistance, senior employment and training and elder rights protection are just some of the vital functions the OAA provides to more than 11 million seniors annually. As you and many of your colleagues know firsthand, OAA services and supports--including the three nutrition programs authorized under Title III of the Act--help keep our nation's most vulnerable, isolated and food insecure seniors healthier and in their own homes and communities longer. This, in turn, delays and/or prevents altogether the need for more expensive institutional care often paid for through Medicare or Medicaid. OAA programs are not only extremely cost-effective, but they are also longstanding examples of public-private partnerships that save taxpayer dollars at the local, state and federal levels in terms of reduced healthcare expenditures. We strongly support the authorized appropriations increases contained in this legislation. With nearly half of our Meals on Wheels programs having a documented waiting list for nutrition services, the 6% increase in authorization of funding levels through Fiscal Year 2024 for OAA programs will significantly improve the senior nutrition network's ability to close these service gaps. We further appreciate recognition of the significant impact of OAA nutrition services and supports and the steps taken to strengthen them through provisions in this final compromise reauthorization bill. Provisions that advance research and data, including capturing the unmet need and scope of waiting lists for congregate and home-delivered meals, and increase focus on culturally appropriate and medically-tailored meals, malnutrition, and the negative health consequences of social isolation are key priorities of our organization, among many others. Accordingly, we urge the Senate to swiftly pass the ``Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020'' to help better meet the inherent changes in our country's aging population and serve more of those in need. Meals on Wheels America and the nationwide network of senior nutrition programs have appreciated contributing feedback and policy recommendations throughout this reauthorization process and look forward to continuing to work with you to build upon the ongoing successes of the OAA. Thank you again for your leadership, public service and support for our nation's older adults. Sincerely, Ellie Hollander, President and CEO. ____ AARP, February 4, 2020. Dear Chairmen Alexander and Scott and Ranking Members Murray and Foxx: On behalf of our nearly 38 million members and all older Americans nationwide, I am writing to express AARP's support for the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020, a bipartisan amendment in the nature of a substitute to H.R. 4334 that would reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). We are pleased that this amendment maintains critical service and information roles of OAA programs, and promotes greater responsiveness to the needs of older Americans. We appreciate your leadership in developing this bipartisan, bicameral agreement and look forward to a prompt reauthorization of OAA. Giving Americans the support they need to live at home with independence and dignity has always been a bedrock goal of OAA, and it has been remarkably successful. The Supporting Older Americans Act builds on this success by further enhancing OAA programs and services. This amendment addresses AARP's OAA reauthorization priorities, including further strengthening the National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFCSP), extending the bipartisan Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act (P.L. 115- 119), and increasing funding levels for OAA programs. The Supporting Older Americans Act enhances support for caregivers by encouraging the use of caregiver assessments under NFCSP. Assessing the caregiving situation can lead to targeting services more effectively by linking the caregiver to the services most beneficial to them. Better targeting of support services can also help maintain the health and well- being of the caregiver, sustain their ability to provide care, produce better outcomes for their loved ones, and prevent or delay nursing home placement. The provision to extend RAISE will provide the RAISE Family Caregiving Advisory Council with more time to identify meaningful solutions for supporting the 41 million family caregivers nationwide who provide a staggering $470 billion annually in unpaid care to their loved ones. And importantly, at a time when the older population is projected to grow significantly, the increased funding levels provided in the amendment would assist more older Americans and caregivers, thus helping more older adults remain at home and in better health, avoiding costlier services. We commend the committees for their bipartisan and bicameral work, and urge prompt reauthorization of the Older Americans Act to ensure that our loved ones can continue to turn to these vital services for their health and economic security as they age. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me or have your staff contact Nicole Burda on our Government Affairs team. Sincerely, Megan O'Reilly, Vice President, Federal Health & Family, Government Affairs. ____ February 7, 2020. Dear Leaders McConnell and Schumer, Speaker Pelosi, Leader McCarthy, Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, Chairman Scott and Ranking Member Foxx: On behalf of the undersigned 128 national organizations with a vested interest in the well-being of America's older adults and caregivers, we write to you today in support of the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 (H.R. 4334) to reauthorize the Older Americans Act (OAA). We recognize and appreciate the diligent bipartisan and bicameral efforts to reauthorize the Older Americans Act, which expired on September 30, 2019. Achieving a reauthorization of this critical Act that reaffirms and protects its mission will ensure the sustainability of vital OAA programs, as well as the health, dignity, and independence of the older Americans and their caregivers who depend on them. The OAA is essential to developing, coordinating, and delivering home and community-based services that help older adults remain in their homes and communities as they age. Many individuals served by OAA-funded programs would otherwise be at significant risk of hunger, isolation, abuse, and losing their ability to choose where they want to age. OAA-supported programs are provided to [[Page S1471]] more than 11 million seniors and their caregivers annually, and include, but are not limited to, home-delivered and congregate nutrition services, in-home supportive services, multipurpose senior centers, transportation, caregiver support, disease prevention and health promotion, community service employment, the long-term care ombudsman program, and services to prevent the abuse, neglect, and exploitation of older adults. By keeping seniors healthy and in their communities for more than 50 years, OAA programs have also delayed or prevented the need for more expensive institutional care for many older adults, which is often paid for through Medicare or Medicaid. OAA services can effectively save taxpayer, state, and federal dollars and promote efficiencies within the health care system. The Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 builds upon both the House-passed Dignity in Aging Act (H.R. 4334) and the Senate-introduced Modernization of the Older Americans Act Amendments (S. 3057) to incorporate a number of important priorities articulated by stakeholder organizations. Most importantly, the bicameral compromise calls for necessary investments in the OAA by increasing funding authorizations over the next five years--a top priority of the undersigned organizations and the most critical need of the Aging Network authorized by the OAA. Other priorities within the bill address research and demonstrations, Native American services, local planning and development, supports for those living with dementia and social isolation, legal services, nutrition, in-home supportive services, disease prevention and health promotion, multigenerational collaboration, and family caregiver supports. We appreciate that the Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020 preserves the numerous ways in which this Act works so well at the federal, state, and local level, on behalf of the older adults and caregivers for whom it is a lifeline to dignity, independence, health, safety, and economic security. Thank you for your commitment to this important issue. The undersigned organizations represent a diverse set of stakeholders, and we stand ready to build upon existing momentum to swiftly advance the compromise bill through Congress and to the President's desk. Sincerely, AARP; Academy of Geriatric Physical Therapy, a component of the APTA; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; ADvancing States; Aging Life Care Association; AHEPA Management Company; Alliance for Aging Research; Alliance to End Hunger; Allies for Independence; ALS Association; Alzheimer's Alliance Michigan State University; Alzheimer's Association; Alzheimer's Foundation of America; Alzheimer's Impact Movement; Alzheimer's Los Angeles; Alzheimer's New Jersey; Alzheimer's Tennessee; American Association For Geriatric Psychiatry; American Association of Service Coordinators; American Association on Health and Disability; American Council of the Blind. American Geriatrics Society; American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association; American Network of Community Options & Resources (ANCOR); American Occupational Therapy Association; American Physical Therapy Association; American Public Health Association; American Therapeutic Recreation Association; Argentum; Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs; Baylor Scott & White Health; Better Medicare Alliance; Blinded Veterans Association (BVA); Brain Injury Association of America; Caregiver Action Network; Caregiver Voices United; Caring Across Generations; CaringKind; Center for Medicare Advocacy; Center for Public Representation; Center to Advance Palliative Care; Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists (CPNP); CommunicationFIRST; Community Catalyst; Congregation of Our Lady of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces; Corporation for Supportive Housing; Daughters of Penelope; Dementia Alliance International; Easterseals; Family Voices; Florida Agencies Serving the Blind; Feeding America; Food Research & Action Center; Generations United; Guide Dogs for the Blind; Health Benefits ABCs; Home Instead Senior Care; Home Modification Occupational Therapy Alliance-HMOTA; International Association for Indigenous Aging; Justice in Aging; Lakeshore Foundation; LEAD Coalition (Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer's Disease). LeadingAge; Livpact Inc.; Local Initiatives Support Corporation; Lutheran Services in America; MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger; Meals on Wheels America; Medicare Rights Center; National Able Network; National Adult Day Services Association (NADSA); National Adult Protective Services Association; National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Affordable Housing Trust; National Alliance for Caregiving; National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA); National Assn. of RSVP Directors; National Association for Home Care & Hospice; National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a); National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD); National Association of Counties (NACo); National Association of Development Organizations (NADO); National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP). National Association of Regional Councils; National Association of Senior Legal Hotlines; National Association of Social Workers (NASW); National Association of State Head Injury Administrators; National Association of State Long- Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP); National Community Action Partnership; National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC); National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; National Council on Aging; National Council on Independent Living; National Housing Trust; National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty; National Respite Coalition; NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice; Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies; Ohio Council for Cognitive Health; PHI; Planetree International; Prevent Blindness; Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine; Region 10 LEAP; RESULTS; Retirement Housing Foundation. Rossetti Enterprises Inc.; Sanford/Good Samaritan Society; Silvernest; Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future; The Arc of the United States; The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration; The Carroll Center for the Blind; The Episcopal Church; The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society; The Gerontological Society of America; The Jewish Federations of North America; Trust for America's Health (TFAH); United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries; United Spinal Association; UsAgainstAlzheimer's; Village to Village Network; VisionServe Alliance; WISER; Volunteers of America; Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement (WISER). ____________________
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