[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 115 (Thursday, July 11, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Page S5035]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 2769. Mr. HAGERTY (for himself and Mr. Kaine) 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 appropriate place in title XII, insert the 
     following:

     SEC. __. MODERNIZING THE DEFENSE CAPABILITIES OF THE 
                   PHILIPPINES.

       (a) Use of Authorities.--The Secretary of State, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall use the 
     authorities under this section--
       (1) to strengthen the United States-Philippines alliance; 
     and
       (2) to support the acceleration of the modernization of the 
     defense capabilities of the Philippines.
       (b) Purpose.--In addition to the purposes otherwise 
     authorized for Foreign Military Financing programs under the 
     Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), a purpose 
     of such programs shall be to provide assistance, including 
     equipment, training, and other support, to modernize the 
     defense capabilities of the Armed Forces of the Philippines--
       (1) to safeguard the territorial sovereignty of the 
     Philippines;
       (2) to improve maritime domain awareness;
       (3) to counter coercive military activities;
       (4) to improve the military and civilian infrastructure and 
     capabilities necessary to prepare for regional contingencies; 
     and
       (5) to strengthen cooperation between the United States and 
     the Philippines on counterterrorism-related efforts.
       (c) Annual Spending Plan.--Not later than March 1, 2025, 
     and annually thereafter for a period of 5 years, the 
     Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of 
     Defense, shall submit to the appropriate congressional 
     committees a plan describing how amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated pursuant to subsection (e), if made available, 
     would be used to achieve the purpose described in subsection 
     (b).
       (d) Annual Report on Enhancing the United States-
     Philippines Defense Relationship.--
       (1) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for a period 
     of 7 years, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the 
     Secretary of Defense, and in consultation with such other 
     heads of Federal departments and agencies as the Secretary of 
     State considers appropriate, shall submit to the appropriate 
     congressional committees a report that describes steps taken 
     to enhance the United States-Philippines defense 
     relationship.
       (2) Matters to be included.--Each report required under 
     paragraph (1) shall include the following:
       (A) A description of the capabilities needed to modernize 
     the defense capabilities of the Philippines, including with 
     respect to--
       (i) coastal defense;
       (ii) long-range fires;
       (iii) integrated air defenses;
       (iv) maritime security;
       (v) manned and unmanned aerial systems;
       (vi) mechanized ground mobility vehicles;
       (vii) intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance;
       (viii) defensive cybersecurity; and
       (ix) any other defense capabilities that the Secretary of 
     State determines, including jointly with the Philippines, are 
     crucial to the defense of the Philippines.
       (B) A description of additional statutory authorities and 
     funding levels required to provide support for and 
     cooperation with the Philippines on the capabilities 
     described in subparagraph (A).
       (3) Form.--Each report required under paragraph (1) shall 
     be submitted in unclassified form, but may contain a 
     classified annex.
       (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to 
     amounts otherwise authorized to be appropriated for Foreign 
     Military Financing, there is authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Department of State for Foreign Military Financing grant 
     assistance for the Philippines $500,000,000 for each of 
     fiscal years 2025 through 2030.
       (f) Use of Funds.--Of the amounts authorized to be 
     appropriated pursuant to subsection (e), the Secretary of 
     State shall obligate and expend not less than $500,000 each 
     fiscal year for one or more blanket order agreements for 
     Foreign Military Financing training programs related to the 
     defense needs of the Philippines.
       (g) Sunset Provision.--Assistance may not be provided under 
     this section after September 30, 2035.
       (h) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
     ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
       (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on 
     Armed Services, and the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (2) Blanket order agreement.--The term ``blanket order 
     agreement'' means an agreement between a foreign customer and 
     the United State Government for a specific category of items 
     or services (including training) that--
       (A) does not include a definitive list of items or 
     quantities; and
       (B) specifies a dollar ceiling against which orders may be 
     placed.
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