[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 36 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S833-S834]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ARMS SALES NOTIFICATION
Mr. MENENDEZ. Madam 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:
Defense Security
Cooperation Agency,
Arlington, VA.
Hon. Robert Menendez,
Chairman, Committee on Foreign Relations,
U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: Pursuant to the reporting requirements
of Section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act, as
amended, we are forwarding herewith Transmittal No. 21-59
concerning the Army's proposed Letter(s) of Offer and
Acceptance to the Government of Kuwait for defense articles
and services estimated to cost $1 billion. After this letter
is delivered to your office, we plan to issue a news release
to notify the public of this proposed sale.
Sincerely,
James A. Hursch,
Director.
Enclosures.
transmittal no. 21-59
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 Kuwait.
(ii) Total Estimated Value:
Major Defense Equipment * $0 billion.
Other $1 billion.
Total $1 billion.
(iii) Description and Quantity or Quantities of Articles or
Services under Consideration for Purchase:
Major Defense Equipment (MDE): None.
Non-MDE: Planning, design, construction, and associated
procurement of Kuwait Ministry of Defense (KMOD) Headquarters
Complex in Kuwait. This includes provisions for all physical
building and infrastructure construction costs. The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers will provide life cycle design,
construction, and project management, engineering services,
technical support, facility and infrastructure assessments,
surveys, planning, programming, design, acquisition, contract
administration, construction management, and other technical
services. The overall project includes over twenty
facilities, including primary headquarters facilities for
both civilian and military leadership, as well as any and all
engineering studies, designs, construction, and construction
management services necessary in order to provide a fully
functioning headquarters complex.
(iv) Military Department: Army (KU-B-HBJ).
[[Page S834]]
(v) Prior Related Cases, if any: KU-B-BAT.
(vi) Sales Commission, Fee, etc., Paid, Offered, or Agreed
to be Paid: None known.
(vii) Sensitivity of Technology Contained in the Defense
Article or Defense Services Proposed to be Sold: None.
(viii) Date Report Delivered to Congress: February 22,
2022.
* As defined in Section 47(6) of the Arms Export Control
Act.
POLICY JUSTIFICATION
Kuwait--Design and Construction of the Kuwait Ministry of Defense
Headquarters Complex
The Government of Kuwait has requested to buy planning,
design, construction, and associated procurement of Kuwait
Ministry of Defense (KMOD) Headquarters Complex in Kuwait.
This includes provisions for all physical building and
infrastructure construction costs. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers will provide life cycle design, construction, and
project management, engineering services, technical support,
facility and infrastructure assessments, surveys, planning,
programming, design, acquisition, contract administration,
construction management, and other technical services. The
overall project includes over twenty facilities, including
primary headquarters facilities for both civilian and
military leadership, as well as any and all engineering
studies, designs, construction, and construction management
services necessary in order to provide a fully functioning
headquarters complex. The estimated total cost is $1 billion.
This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and
national security objectives of the United States by helping
to improve the infrastructure of a Major Non-NATO ally that
has been an important force for political stability and
economic progress in the Middle East.
This proposed sale will improve Kuwait's capability to meet
current and future threats by modernizing the KMOD
headquarters and associated infrastructure. Kuwait will have
no difficulty absorbing this infrastructure, support, and
associated services into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this infrastructure and support will
not alter the basic military balance in the region.
No principal contractor has been identified for this sale.
Contracts funded by this case are likely to be competitive
acquisitions. The host nation has the ability to limit
competition if they so choose, but has not requested to do so
at this time. There are no known offset agreements proposed
in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will require the
assignment of as many as ten (10) additional U.S. Government
or U.S. contractor representatives to Kuwait for a duration
of up to seven (7) years to provide construction management
and oversight. It may be possible to utilize locally
available labor to provide some oversight services in lieu of
the assignment of U.S. personnel to the program.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness
as a result of this proposed sale.
____________________