[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7633 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7633

To provide authority to enhance security assistance with countries that 
are engaged in regional security cooperation efforts in the Middle East 
               and North Africa, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2024

 Mr. James (for himself and Mr. McCaul) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To provide authority to enhance security assistance with countries that 
are engaged in regional security cooperation efforts in the Middle East 
               and North Africa, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Enhance Cooperation Against 
Terrorism Act''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO ENHANCE SECURITY ASSISTANCE WITH COUNTRIES THAT 
              ARE ENGAGED IN REGIONAL SECURITY COOPERATION EFFORTS IN 
              THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA.

    (a) Statement of Policy.--It is the policy of the United States to 
work with allies and partners to safeguard freedom of navigation, 
protect critical infrastructure, uphold basic principles of 
international law, and protect United States citizens from threats 
posed by Iran and Iran-aligned entities in the Middle East and North 
Africa.
    (b) Authority.--The Secretary of State shall--
            (1) identify countries that--
                    (A) have normalized diplomatic relations with the 
                State of Israel; and
                    (B) are engaged in regional security cooperation 
                efforts in the Middle East and North Africa to combat 
                threats posed by Iran and Iran-aligned entities; and
            (2) in order to meet the policy described in subsection 
        (a), provide approval for the sale or lease, a license or other 
        approval for the export, or the transfer of defense articles or 
        defense services to countries identified by the Secretary under 
        paragraph (1) in accordance with the expedited approval 
        provisions of subsection (c).
    (c) Expedited Approval Provisions.--In the case of a sale or lease 
of defense articles or defense services under section 3, 21, or 36 of 
the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2753, 2761, or 2776) to a 
country identified by the Secretary of State under subsection (b)(1), a 
license or other approval under section 38 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2778) 
for the export of defense articles or defense services to such a 
country (or of a commercial agreement that involves the manufacture in 
such a country of any item of significant combat equipment on the 
United States Munitions List in accordance with section 36(d) of such 
Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(d))), or a transfer of excess defense articles 
under section 516(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 
U.S.C. 2321j(c)(2)) to such a country, the President shall--
            (1) notwithstanding the time limitations described in any 
        of such sections, submit to Congress a certification described 
        in such sections, at least 15 calendar days before sale, lease, 
        license or other approval, or transfer of the defense articles 
        or defense services is approved; and
            (2) include in the certification--
                    (A) information on why the provision of such 
                defense articles or services is related to or in 
                furtherance of the policy described in subsection (a); 
                and
                    (B) a summary of steps taken by the United States 
                Government to ensure that any sensitive United States 
                technology, information, or capabilities that may be 
                provided to such a country by reason of the provision 
                of such defense articles or services are not acquired 
                by--
                            (i) the People's Republic of China or any 
                        entity owned or controlled by the People's 
                        Republic of China; or
                            (ii) the Russian Federation or any entity 
                        owned or controlled by the Russian Federation.
    (d) Strategy.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, and every 60 days thereafter, the 
        Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate 
        congressional committees, in writing, a strategy on the 
        implementation of this section.
            (2) Matters to be included.--The strategy required by this 
        subsection shall include the following:
                    (A) An overview of the security threats from Iran 
                and Iran-aligned entities to both the United States and 
                the countries identified by the Secretary of State 
                under subsection (b)(1).
                    (B) A description and assessment of the metrics and 
                evaluation procedures used for implementing the policy 
                described in subsection (a), including recommendations 
                to improve multilateral cooperation between the United 
                States and such countries and among such countries.
                    (C) A description of the challenges to achieving 
                full interoperability between the United States and 
                such countries and the impact on progress to address 
                the policy described in subsection (a), including 
                efforts to address shared threats posed by Iran and 
                Iran-aligned entities.
                    (D) A description of measures to provide such 
                countries interim capabilities until the cases 
                described in clauses (i) and (ii) are delivered.
                    (E) A description and assessment of--
                            (i) the status of all pending sales of 
                        defense articles or defense services over 
                        $25,000,000, including Letters of Request and 
                        where applicable Letters of Offer and 
                        Acceptance, beginning 5 years prior to the date 
                        of the enactment of this Act, to such countries 
                        pursuant to the provisions of law specified in 
                        subsection (c);
                            (ii) a description of the delivery time-
                        frames for all pending sales of defense 
                        articles or defense services over $25,000,000 
                        to such countries pursuant to the provisions of 
                        law specified in subsection (c) and any 
                        measures that could be taken to expedite their 
                        delivery; and
                            (iii) recommendations to improve the 
                        process for authorizing the transfer of defense 
                        articles and services authorized under sections 
                        36 and 38 of the Arms Export Control Act to 
                        such countries, including as it relates to 
                        delivery timeline.
            (3) Form.--The report required by this subsection shall be 
        submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified 
        annex.
            (4) Definitions.--In this subsection--
                    (A) the term ``appropriate congressional 
                committees'' means--
                            (i) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 
                        House of Representatives; and
                            (ii) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
                        the Senate; and
                    (B) the term ``Iran-aligned entity''--
                            (i) includes an entity that--
                                    (I) is controlled or significantly 
                                influenced by the Government of Iran; 
                                and
                                    (II) knowingly receives material or 
                                financial support from the Government 
                                of Iran; and
                            (ii) includes--
                                    (I) Hezbollah;
                                    (II) the Houthis; or
                                    (III) any other proxy group that 
                                furthers Iran's national security 
                                objectives.
                                 <all>