[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 24 (Wednesday, February 10, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H693-H694]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
UNITED STATES-JORDAN DEFENSE COOPERATION ACT OF 2015
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from
the Speaker's table the bill (H.R. 907) to improve defense cooperation
between the United States and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, with the
Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will report the Senate amendment.
The Clerk read as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Jordan Defense
Cooperation Act of 2015''.
[[Page H694]]
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) As of January 22, 2015, the United States Government
has provided $3,046,343,000 in assistance to respond to the
Syria humanitarian crisis, of which nearly $467,000,000 has
been provided to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
(2) As of January 2015, according to the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees, there were 621,937 registered
Syrian refugees in Jordan and 83.8 percent of whom lived
outside refugee camps.
(3) In 2000, the United States and Jordan signed a free-
trade agreement that went into force in 2001.
(4) In 1996, the United States granted Jordan major non-
NATO ally status.
(5) Jordan is suffering from the Syrian refugee crisis and
the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
(ISIL).
(6) The Government of Jordan was elected as a non-permanent
member of the United Nations Security Council for a 2-year
term ending in December 2015.
(7) Enhanced support for defense cooperation with Jordan is
important to the national security of the United States,
including through creation of a status in law for Jordan
similar to the countries in the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization, Japan, Australia, the Republic of Korea,
Israel, and New Zealand, with respect to consideration by
Congress of foreign military sales to Jordan.
(8) The Colorado National Guard's relationship with the
Jordanian military provides a significant benefit to both the
United States and Jordan.
(9) Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh was brutally murdered
by ISIL.
(10) On February 3, 2015, Secretary of State John Kerry and
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh signed a new
Memorandum of Understanding that reflects the intention to
increase United States assistance to the Government of Jordan
from $660,000,000 to $1,000,000,000 for each of the years
2015 through 2017.
(11) On December 5, 2014, in an interview on CBS This
Morning, Jordanian King Abdullah II stated--
(A) in reference to ISIL, ``This is a Muslim problem. We
need to take ownership of this. We need to stand up and say
what is wrong''; and
(B) ``This is our war. This is a war inside Islam. So we
have to own up to it. We have to take the lead. We have to
start fighting back.''.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
It should be the policy of the United States--
(1) to support the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in its
response to the Syrian refugee crisis;
(2) to provide necessary assistance to alleviate the
domestic burden to provide basic needs for the assimilated
Syrian refugees;
(3) to cooperate with Jordan to combat the terrorist threat
from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) or other
terrorist organizations; and
(4) to help secure the border between Jordan and its
neighbors Syria and Iraq.
SEC. 4. 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;
(2) Congress welcomes the statement of King Abdullah II
quoted in section (2)(11); and
(3) it is in the interest of peace and stability for
regional members of the Global Coalition to Combat ISIL to
continue their commitment to, and increase their involvement
in, addressing the threat posed by ISIL.
SEC. 5. ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION.
(a) 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 the
provisions of law described in subsection (b) for purposes of
applying and administering such provisions of law.
(b) Arms Export Control Act.--The provisions of law
described in this subsection are--
(1) subsections (b)(2), (d)(2)(B), (d)(3)(A)(i), and (d)(5)
of section 3 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2753);
(2) subsections (e)(2)(A), (h)(1)(A), and (h)(2) of section
21 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2761);
(3) subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(6), (c), and (d)(2)(A)
of section 36 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2776);
(4) section 62(c)(1) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2796a(c)(1));
and
(5) section 63(a)(2) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2796b(a)(2)).
SEC. 6. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Secretary of State is authorized to enter into a memorandum
of understanding with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to
increase economic support funds, military cooperation,
including joint military exercises, personnel exchanges,
support for international peacekeeping missions, and enhanced
strategic dialogue.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (during the reading). Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous
consent that the amendment be considered as read.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the original request
of the gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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