[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4762-S4763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 2439. Mr. RUBIO submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill S. 4638, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year
2025 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 G--United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation
SEC. 1294. SHORT TITLE.
This subtitle may be cited as the ``United States-Jordan
Defense Cooperation Act of 2024''.
SEC. 1295. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that 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.
SEC. 1296. ENHANCED DEFENSE COOPERATION.
(a) Arms Export Control Act.--
(1) 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 paragraph (2) for purposes of
applying and administering such provisions of law.
(2) Covered provisions of law.--The provisions of law
described in this paragraph are as follows:
(A) Subsections (b)(2), (d)(2)(B), (d)(3)(A)(i), and (d)(5)
of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2753).
(B) Subsections (e)(2)(A), (h)(1)(A), and (h)(2) of section
21 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2761).
[[Page S4763]]
(C) Subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(6), (c), and (d)(2)(A)
of section 36 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2776).
(D) Section 62(c)(1) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2796a(c)(1)).
(E) Section 63(a)(2) of such Act (22 U.S.C. 2796b(a)(2)).
(b) Establishment of Capabilities.--
(1) Report.--
(A) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of
Defense shall, in coordination with the Commander of Central
Command, work cooperatively with the Minister of Defense of
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to establish or further
capabilities for countering air and missile threats from Iran
and its terrorist proxies, including the threat from unmanned
aerial systems, that threaten the United States, Jordan, and
other allies and partners of the United States.
(B) Protection of sensitive technology and information.--
The Secretary shall ensure that any activities carried out
under this subsection are conducted in a manner that
appropriately protects sensitive technology and information
and the national security interests of the United States and
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
(2) Limitation and report.--Activities may not be carried
out under paragraph (1) until after the Secretary submits to
the appropriate congressional committees a report setting
forth the following:
(A) A memorandum of agreement between the United States and
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan regarding sharing of research
and development costs for the capabilities described in
clause (i) and any supporting documents.
(B) A certification that the memorandum of agreement--
(i) requires sharing of costs of projects, including in-
kind support, between the United States and the Hashemite
Kingdom of Jordan;
(ii) establishes a framework to negotiate the rights to any
intellectual property developed under the memorandum of
agreement; and
(iii) requires the United States Government to receive
semiannual reports on expenditure of funds, if any, by the
Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, including a
description of what the funds have been used for, when funds
were expended, and an identification of entities that
expended the funds.
(3) Appropriate congressional committees defined.--In this
subsection, the term ``appropriate congressional committees''
means--
(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
(c) Middle East Integrated Air and Missile Defense.--
(1) In general.--Pursuant to section 1658 of the James M.
Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
2023 (Public Law 117-263), the Secretary of Defense shall, in
consultation with the Secretary of State and with the
concurrence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, develop a
plan to bolster the participation of Jordan in a
multinational integrated air and missile defense architecture
to protect the people, infrastructure, and territory of
Jordan from cruise and ballistic missiles, manned and
unmanned aerial systems, and rocket attacks from Iran and
groups linked to Iran.
(2) Briefing.--Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary
and the Commander of United States Central Command shall
provide the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on
Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed
Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of
Representatives a briefing on the progress of the Department
of Defense towards bolstering the participation of Jordan in
a multinational integrated air and missile defense
architecture, and provide a list of requirements, with cost
estimates, for strengthening the defense of Jordan within
this architecture.
(d) Sunset.--The authority in this subsection to carry out
activities described in subsection (b), and to provide
support described in subsection (c), shall expire on December
31, 2028.
SEC. 1297. 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.
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