1.Short title; table of
contents
(a)This Act may be cited as the Credible Military Option to Counter Iran
Act
.
(b)The table of contents for this Act is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Declaration of policy.
Sec. 3. United States military preparedness in the Middle
East.
Sec. 4. United States military capabilities in the Central
Command Area of Responsibility.
Sec. 5. Enhancing the defense of Israel and United States
interests in the Middle East.
Sec. 6. Plan to enhance military capabilities of Persian Gulf
allies.
Sec. 7. Plan to increase strategic regional
partnerships.
Sec. 8. Definitions.
2.
(a)Congress
makes the following findings:
(1)Iran, which has
long sought to foment instability and promote extremism in the Middle East, is
now seeking to exploit the dramatic political transition underway in the region
to undermine governments traditionally aligned with the United States and
support extremist political movements in these countries.
(2)At the same time,
Iran may soon attain a nuclear weapons capability, a development that would
fundamentally threaten vital United States interests, destabilize the region,
encourage regional nuclear proliferation, further empower and embolden Iran,
the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, and provide it the tools to
threaten its neighbors, including Israel.
(3)With the assistance of Iran over the past
several years, Syria, Hezbollah, and Hamas have increased their stockpiles of
rockets, with more than 60,000 rockets now ready to be fired at Israel. Iran
continues to add to its arsenal of ballistic missiles and cruise missiles,
which threaten Iran’s neighbors, Israel, and United States Armed Forces in the
region.
(4)Preventing Iran
from achieving nuclear weapons capability is among the most urgent national
security challenges facing the United States.
(5)Successive United
States administrations have stated that a nuclear weapons-possessing Iran is
unacceptable.
(6)President Obama
stated on January 24, 2012, Let there be no doubt: America is determined
to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off
the table to achieve that goal.
.
(7)In order to
prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, the United States, in cooperation
with its allies, must utilize all elements of national power including
diplomacy, robust economic sanctions, and credible, visible preparations for a
military option.
(8)Nevertheless, to
date, diplomatic overtures, sanctions, and other non-kinetic actions toward
Iran have not caused the Government of Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons
program.
(9)With the impact of
additional sanctions uncertain, additional pressure on the Government of Iran
could come from the credible threat of military action against Iran’s nuclear
program.
(b)It shall be the policy of the United States to take all
necessary measures, including military action if required, to prevent Iran from
threatening the United States, its allies, or Iran’s neighbors with a nuclear
weapon.
3.United States
military preparedness in the Middle East
(a)It is the sense of Congress that—
(1)military exercises conducted in the Persian
Gulf and Gulf of Oman emphasize the United States resolve and the policy of the
United States described in section 2(b) by enhancing the readiness of the
United States military and allied forces, as well as signaling to the
Government of Iran the commitment of the United States to defend its vital
national security interests; and
(2)the President, as Commander in Chief,
should require the United States military to develop a comprehensive plan to
augment the presence of the United States Fifth Fleet in the Middle East and to
conduct military deployments, exercises, or other visible, concrete military
readiness activities to underscore the policy of the United States described in
section 2(b).
(b)
(1)The Secretary of
Defense shall prepare a plan to augment the presence of the United States Fifth
Fleet in the Middle East and to conduct military deployments, exercises, or
other visible, concrete military readiness activities to underscore the policy
of the United States described in section 2(b).
(2)The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include, at
a minimum, steps necessary to support the policy of the United States described
in section 2(b), including—
(A)pre-positioning
sufficient supplies of aircraft, munitions, fuel, and other materials for both
air- and sea-based missions at key forward locations in the Middle East and
Indian Ocean;
(B)maintaining
sufficient naval assets in the region necessary to signal United States resolve
and to bolster United States capabilities to launch a sustained sea and air
campaign against a range of Iranian nuclear and military targets, to protect
seaborne shipping, and to deny Iranian retaliation against United States
interests in the region;
(C)discussing the
viability of deploying at least two United States aircraft carriers, an
additional large deck amphibious ship, and a Mine Countermeasures Squadron in
the region on a continual basis, in support of the actions described in
subparagraph (B); and
(D)conducting naval
fleet exercises similar to the United States Fifth Fleet’s major exercise in
the region in March 2007 to demonstrate ability to keep the Strait of Hormuz
open and to counter the use of anti-ship missiles and swarming high-speed
boats.
(3)The plan required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted
to the congressional defense committees not later than 120 days after the date
of enactment of this Act.
4.United States
military capabilities in the Central Command Area of Responsibility
(a)Authorization of
appropriations for fiscal year 2012In order to enhance United
States military capabilities in the Central Command Area of Responsibility,
funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2012 as
follows:
(1)$80,000,000 for
Other Procurement, Navy to be available for MK 38 Mod 2 machine gun system for
Coastal Patrol Craft.
(2)$44,600,000 for
Weapons Procurement, Navy to be available for—
(A)Griffin missile
for Coastal Patrol Craft; and
(B)Spike
shoulder-fired electro-optic weapon.
(3)$72,481,000 for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy to be available for—
(A)Program Element
0205601N for digital rocket launchers;
(B)Beyond line of
sight command and control architecture; and
(C)MAGIC VIEW.
(4)$134,552,000 for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force to be available for Hard
and Deeply Buried Target Defeat System Program, Program Element
0604327F.
(5)$7,000,000 for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Defense-Wide to be available
for—
(A)Indications and
Warning; and
(B)Systems
Performance.
(6)$14,000,000 for
Operation and Maintenance, Navy to be available for Scan Eagle.
(7)$2,000,000 for
Operation and Maintenance, Air Force to be available for tactics development
and evaluation.
(b)Authorization of
appropriations for fiscal year 2013In order to enhance United
States military capabilities in the Central Command Area of Responsibility,
funds are hereby authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2013 as
follows:
(1)$22,654,000 for
Other Procurement, Navy to be available for—
(A)Underwater
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Programs;
(B)Naval Military
Intelligence Program Support Equipment; and
(C)MK 38 Mod 2
machine gun system for Coastal Patrol Craft.
(2)$31,000,000 for
Weapons Procurement, Navy to be available for—
(A)Griffin missile
for Coastal Patrol Craft; and
(B)Spike
shoulder-fired electro-optic weapon.
(3)$72,481,000 for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Army to be available for Unmanned
Aerial Vehicle Detection and Tracking.
(4)$72,481,000 for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Navy to be available for—
(A)Joint Service
Explosive Ordnance Development, Program Element 0603654N;
(B)Advanced
Anti-Radiation Guided Missile in Program Element 0205601N; and
(C)Integrated, Fixed
Surveillance System, Program Element 0204311N.
(5)$72,481,000 for
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force to be available for Cyber
Command Activities within Program Element 0208059F.
5.Enhancing the
defense of Israel and United States interests in the Middle East
(a)It is the sense of Congress that the United States
should take the following actions to assist in the defense of Israel:
(1)Provide Israel
such support as may be necessary to increase development and production of
joint missile defense systems, particularly such systems that defend the urgent
threat posed to Israel and United States forces in the region.
(2)Provide Israel
defense articles, intelligence, and defense services through such mechanisms as
appropriate, to include air refueling tankers, missile defense capabilities,
and specialized munitions.
(3)Allocate
additional weaponry and munitions for the forward-deployed United States
stockpile in Israel.
(4)Provide Israel
additional surplus defense articles and defense services, as appropriate, in
the wake of the withdrawal of United States forces from Iraq.
(5)Offer the Israeli
Air Force additional training and exercise opportunities in the United States
to compensate for Israel’s limited air space.
(6)Expand Israel’s
authority to make purchases under section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act
(relating to the Foreign Military Financing
program) on a
commercial basis.
(7)Seek to enhance
the capabilities of the United States and Israel to address emerging common
threats, increase security cooperation, and expand joint military
exercises.
(8)Encourage an
expanded role for Israel within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),
including an enhanced presence at NATO headquarters and exercises.
(9)Support extension
of the long-standing loan guarantee program for Israel, recognizing Israel’s
unbroken record of repaying its loans on time and in full.
(10)Expand
already-close intelligence cooperation, including satellite intelligence, with
Israel.
(b)Report on
Israel’s qualitative military edge
(1)It is the policy of the United States—
(A)to help Israel
preserve its qualitative military edge amid rapid and uncertain regional
political transformation; and
(B)to encourage
further development of advanced technology programs between the United States
and Israel in light of current trends and instability in the region.
(2)Not
later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President
shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the status
of Israel’s qualitative military edge in light of current trends and
instability in the region.
(c)Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report on each of the following:
(1)Taking into
account Israel’s urgent requirement for F–35 aircraft, actions to improve the
process relating to Israel’s purchase of F–35 aircraft to improve cost
efficiency and timely delivery.
(2)Efforts to expand
cooperation between the United States and Israel in homeland defense,
counter-terrorism, maritime security, cybersecurity, and other appropriate
areas.
(3)Actions to
integrate Israel into the defense of the Eastern Mediterranean.
6.Plan to enhance
military capabilities of Persian Gulf allies
(a)The Secretary of Defense, in consultation
with the Secretary of State, shall develop a plan to enhance the military
capabilities of Persian Gulf allies to bolster the posture of such allies in
relation to Iran.
(b)The plan required under subsection (a) shall include the
following:
(1)A
description of the means to augment the offensive strike capabilities of key
Gulf Cooperation Council allies, including the potential sale or upgrades of
strike attack aircraft and bunker buster munitions, to augment the viability of
a credible military option and to strengthen such allies’ self-defense
capabilities against retaliation or military aggression by Iran.
(2)A needs-based
assessment, or an update to an existing needs-based assessment, of the military
requirements of Persian Gulf allies to support a credible military option and
to defend against potential military aggression by Iran.
(3)A
detailed summary of any arms sales and training requests by Persian Gulf allies
and a description and justification for United States actions taken.
(c)Nothing in the
plan required under subsection (a) shall be construed to alter Israel’s
qualitative military edge.
(d)The plan required under subsection (a) shall be
submitted to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 180 days
after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(e)The
plan required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in an unclassified form,
but may contain a classified annex.
7.Plan to increase
strategic regional partnerships
(a)Congress
finds the following:
(1)The United States
should ensure that it has the broadest set of geographic approaches to
militarily access Iran.
(2)United States
Armed Forces and support staff currently have access from the eastern,
southern, and western borders of Iran.
(3)Azerbaijan borders
the northern frontier of Iran closest to nuclear sites near Tehran and the
Government of Azerbaijan cooperates with the United States on Caspian Sea
security and energy issues.
(b)It
shall be the policy of the United States to—
(1)increase pressure
on Iran by providing United States Armed Forces with the broadest set of
geographic approaches to militarily access Iran; and
(2)explore means to
enhance access to military facilities on the northern border of Iran.
(c)
(1)The Secretary of Defense, in consultation with the
Secretary of State, shall develop a plan to increase the strategic partnership
with regional allies to provide United States Armed Forces with the broadest
set of geographic approaches to militarily access Iran.
(2)The plan required under paragraph (1) shall include the
following information:
(A)Mechanisms to
broaden the geographical approaches to militarily access Iran.
(B)The need, if any,
to strengthen the self-defense capabilities of regional allies as a result of
such partnerships.
(C)The viability of
increasing access for United States Armed Forces to bases in Azerbaijan to
augment the viability of a credible military option.
(3)The plan required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted
to the appropriate congressional committees not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act.
8.In this Act:
(1)Appropriate
congressional committeesThe term appropriate congressional
committees means—
(A)the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives; and
(B)the Committee on
Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate.
(2)Congressional
defense committeesThe term congressional defense
committees has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of
title 10, United States Code.
(3)Qualitative
military edgeThe term qualitative military edge has
the meaning given the term in section 36(h)(2) of the Arms Export Control Act
(22 U.S.C. 2776(h)(2)).