[114th Congress Public Law 123]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 130 STAT. 117]]

Public Law 114-123
114th Congress

                                 An Act


 
    To improve defense cooperation between the United States and the 
   Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. <<NOTE: Feb. 18, 2016 -  [H.R. 907]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: United States-
Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015. 22 USC 2751 note.>> 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Jordan Defense 
Cooperation Act of 2015''.
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) <<NOTE: Moaz al-Kasasbeh.>>  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

[[Page 130 STAT. 118]]

        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. <<NOTE: 22 USC 2753 note. Time period. Effective date.>>  
                    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)).

[[Page 130 STAT. 119]]

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.

    Approved February 18, 2016.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 907 (S. 1789):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
                                                        Vol. 161 (2015):
                                    July 7, considered and passed House.
                                                        Vol. 162 (2016):
                                    Feb. 3, considered and passed 
                                        Senate, amended.
                                    Feb. 10, House concurred in Senate 
                                        amendment.

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