[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 198 (Monday, November 15, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8089-S8090]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 4557. Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. Rubio) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr.
Reed and intended to be proposed to the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2022 for military activities of the
Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense
activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel
strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of title XII, add the following:
Subtitle H--U.S.-Greece Defense and Interparliamentary Partnership Act
of 2021
SEC. 1291. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``U.S.-Greece Defense and
Interparliamentary Partnership Act of 2021''.
SEC. 1292. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) The United States and Greece are strong allies in the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and have deepened
their defense relationship in recent years in response to
growing security challenges in the Eastern Mediterranean
region.
(2) Greece participates in several NATO missions, including
Operation Sea Guardian in the Mediterranean and NATO's
mission in Kosovo.
(3) The Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy
Partnership Act (title II of division J of Public Law 116-
94), authorized new security assistance for Greece and
Cyprus, lifted the United States prohibition on arms
transfers to Cyprus, and authorized the establishment of a
United States-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center to
facilitate energy cooperation among the United States,
Greece, Israel, and Cyprus.
(4) The United States has demonstrated its support for the
trilateral partnership of Greece, Israel, and Cyprus through
joint engagement with Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United
States in the ``3+1'' format.
(5) The United States and Greece have held Strategic
Dialogue meetings in Athens, Washington D.C., and virtually,
and have committed to hold an upcoming Strategic Dialogue
session in 2021 in Washington, D.C.
(6) In October 2019, the United States and Greece agreed to
update the United States-Greece Mutual Defense Cooperation
Agreement, and the amended agreement officially entered into
force on February 13, 2020.
(7) The amended Mutual Defense Cooperation Agreement
provides for increased joint United States-Greece and NATO
activities at Greek military bases and facilities in Larissa,
Stefanovikio, Alexandroupolis, and other parts of central and
northern Greece, and allows for infrastructure improvements
at the United States Naval Support Activity Souda Bay base on
Crete.
(8) In October 2020, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias
announced that Greece hopes to further expand the Mutual
Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States.
(9) The United States Naval Support Activity Souda Bay
serves as a critical naval logistics hub for the United
States Navy's 6th Fleet.
(10) In June 2020, United States Ambassador to Greece
Geoffrey Pyatt characterized the importance of Naval Support
Activity Souda Bay as ``our most important platform for the
projection of American power into a strategically dynamic
Eastern Mediterranean region. From Syria to Libya to the
chokepoint of the Black Sea, this is a critically important
asset for the United States, as our air force, naval, and
other resources are applied to support our Alliance
obligations and to help bring peace and stability.''.
(11) The USS Hershel ``Woody'' Williams, the second of a
new class of United States sea-basing ships, is now based out
of Souda Bay, the first permanent United States naval
deployment at the base.
(12) The United States cooperates with the Hellenic Armed
Forces at facilities in Larissa, Stefanovikio, and
Alexandroupolis, where the United States Armed Forces conduct
training, refueling, temporary maintenance, storage, and
emergency response.
(13) The United States has conducted a longstanding
International Military Education and Training (IMET) program
with Greece, and the Government of Greece has committed to
provide $3 for every dollar invested by the United States in
the program.
(14) Greece's defense spending in 2020 amounted to an
estimated 2.68 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP),
exceeding NATO's 2 percent of GDP benchmark agreed to at the
2014 NATO Summit in Wales.
(15) Greece is eligible for the delivery of excess defense
articles under section 516(c)(2) of the Foreign Assistance
Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321j(c)(2)).
(16) In September 2020, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos
Mitsotakis announced plans to modernize all three branches of
the Hellenic Armed Forces, which will strengthen Greece's
military position in the Eastern Mediterranean.
(17) The modernization includes upgrades to the arms of all
three branches, including new anti-tank weapons for the
Hellenic Army, new heavy-duty torpedoes for the Hellenic
Navy, and new guided missiles for the Hellenic Air Force.
(18) The Hellenic Navy also plans to upgrade its four MEKO
200HN frigates and purchase four new multirole frigates of an
undisclosed type, to be accompanied by 4 MH-60R anti-
submarine helicopters.
(19) The Hellenic Air Force plans to fully upgrade its
fleet of F-16 jets to the F-16 Viper variant by 2027 and has
expressed interest in participating in the F-35 Joint Strike
Fighter program.
SEC. 1293. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) Greece is a pillar of stability in the Eastern
Mediterranean region and the United States should remain
committed to supporting its security and prosperity;
(2) the 3+1 format of cooperation among Cyprus, Greece,
Israel, and the United States has been a successful forum to
cooperate on energy issues and should be expanded to include
other areas of common concern to the members;
(3) the United States should increase and deepen efforts to
partner with and support the modernization of the Greek
military;
(4) it is in the interests of the United States that Greece
continue to transition its military equipment away from
Russian-produced platforms and weapons systems through the
European Recapitalization Investment Program;
(5) the United States Government should continue to deepen
strong partnerships with the Greek military, especially in
co-development and co-production opportunities with the Greek
Navy;
(6) the naval partnerships with Greece at Souda Bay and
Alexandroupolis are mutually beneficial to the national
security of the United States and Greece;
(7) the United States should, as appropriate, support the
sale of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Greece;
(8) the United States Government should continue to invest
in International Military Education and Training (IMET)
programs in Greece;
(9) the United States Government should support joint
maritime security cooperation exercises with Cyprus, Greece,
and Israel;
(10) in accordance with its legal authorities and project
selection criteria, the United States Development Finance
Corporation should consider supporting private investment in
strategic infrastructure projects in Greece, to include
shipyards and ports that contribute to the security of the
region and Greece's prosperity;
(11) the extension of the Mutual Defense Cooperation
Agreement with Greece for a period of five years includes
deepened partnerships at Greek military facilities throughout
the country and is a welcome development; and
(12) the United States Government should establish the
United States-Eastern Mediterranean Energy Center as
authorized in the Eastern Mediterranean Energy and Security
Partnership Act of 2019.
SEC. 1294. FUNDING FOR EUROPEAN RECAPITALIZATION INCENTIVE
PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--To the maximum extent feasible, of the
funds appropriated for the European Recapitalization
Incentive Program, $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2022
through 2026 should be considered for Greece as appropriate
to assist the country in meeting its defense needs and
transitioning away from Russian-produced military equipment.
(b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report that
provides a full accounting of all funds distributed under the
European Recapitalization Incentive Program, including--
(1) identification of each recipient country;
(2) a description of how the funds were used; and
(3) an accounting of remaining equipment in recipient
countries that was provided by the then-Soviet Union or
Russian Federation.
SEC. 1295. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON LOAN PROGRAM.
It is the sense of Congress that, as appropriate, the
United States Government should
[[Page S8090]]
provide direct loans to Greece for the procurement of defense
articles, defense services, and design and construction
services pursuant to the authority of section 23 of the Arms
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2763) to support the further
development of Greece's military forces.
SEC. 1296. TRANSFER OF F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER AIRCRAFT TO
GREECE.
The President is authorized to expedite delivery of any
future F-35 aircraft to Greece once Greece is prepared to
move forward with such a purchase on such terms and
conditions as the President may require. Such transfer shall
be submitted to Congress pursuant to the certification
requirements under section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act
(22 U.S.C. 2776).
SEC. 1297. IMET COOPERATION WITH GREECE.
For each of fiscal years 2022 through 2026, $1,800,000 is
authorized to be appropriated for International Military
Education and Training assistance for Greece, which may be
made available for the following purposes:
(1) Training of future leaders.
(2) Fostering a better understanding of the United States.
(3) Establishing a rapport between the United States Armed
Forces and Greece's military to build partnerships for the
future.
(4) Enhancement of interoperability and capabilities for
joint operations.
(5) Focusing on professional military education, civilian
control of the military, and protection of human rights.
SEC. 1298. CYPRUS, GREECE, ISRAEL, AND THE UNITED STATES 3+1
INTERPARLIAMENTARY GROUP.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a group, to be
known as the ``Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United States
3+1 Interparliamentary Group'', to serve as a legislative
component to the 3+1 process launched in Jerusalem in March
2019.
(b) Membership.--The Cyprus, Greece, Israel, and the United
States 3+1 Interparliamentary Group shall include a group of
not more than 6 United States Senators, to be known as the
``United States group'', who shall be appointed jointly by
the majority leader and the minority leader of the Senate.
(c) Meetings.--Not less frequently than once each year, the
United States group shall meet with members of the 3+1 group
to discuss issues on the agenda of the 3+1 deliberations of
the Governments of Greece, Israel, Cyprus, and the United
States to include maritime security, defense cooperation,
energy initiatives, and countering malign influence efforts
by the People's Republic of China and the Russian Federation.
SEC. 1299. APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES.
In this subtitle, the term ``appropriate congressional
committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on
Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on
Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
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