§362. Prohibition on use of funds for assistance to units of foreign security forces that have committed a gross violation of human rights

(a) In General.—(1) Of the amounts made available to the Department of Defense, none may be used for any training, equipment, or other assistance for a unit of a foreign security force if the Secretary of Defense has credible information that the unit has committed a gross violation of human rights.

(2) The Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State, ensure that prior to a decision to provide any training, equipment, or other assistance to a unit of a foreign security force full consideration is given to any credible information available to the Department of State relating to human rights violations by such unit.

(b) Exception.—The prohibition in subsection (a)(1) shall not apply if the Secretary of Defense, after consultation with the Secretary of State, determines that the government of such country has taken all necessary corrective steps, or if the equipment or other assistance is necessary to assist in disaster relief operations or other humanitarian or national security emergencies.

(c) Waiver.—The Secretary of Defense, after consultation with the Secretary of State, may waive the prohibition in subsection (a)(1) if the Secretary determines that the waiver is required by extraordinary circumstances.

(d) Procedures.—The Secretary of Defense shall establish, and periodically update, procedures to ensure that any information in the possession of the Department of Defense about gross violations of human rights by units of foreign security forces is shared on a timely basis with the Department of State.

(e) Report.—Not later than 15 days after the application of any exception under subsection (b) or the exercise of any waiver under subsection (c), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report—

(1) in the case of an exception under subsection (b), providing notice of the use of the exception and stating the grounds for the exception; and

(2) in the case of a waiver under subsection (c), describing—

(A) the information relating to the gross violation of human rights;

(B) the extraordinary circumstances that necessitate the waiver;

(C) the purpose and duration of the training, equipment, or other assistance; and

(D) the United States forces and the foreign security force unit involved.

(Added Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title XII, §1204(a)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3531, §2249e; renumbered §362 and amended Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(l), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2509.)

Amendments

2016—Pub. L. 114–328, §1241(l)(1), renumbered section 2249e of this title as this section.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 114–328, §1241(l)(2), struck out subsec. (f) which defined "appropriate committees of Congress" for this section.

Human Rights Vetting of Afghan National Defense and Security Forces

Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title XII, §1216, Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1650, provided that: "The Secretary of Defense may establish within the Department of Defense one or more permanent positions to oversee and support, in coordination with the Department of State, the implementation of section 362 of title 10, United States Code, with respect to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces."

Annual Reports

Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title XII, §1204(b), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3533, provided that:

"(1) In general.—Not later than March 31, 2015, and every March 31 thereafter through 2024, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report setting forth for the preceding fiscal year the following:

"(A) The total number of cases submitted for vetting for purposes of section 2249e [now 362] of title 10, United States Code (as added by subsection (a)), and the total number of such cases approved, or suspended or rejected for human rights reasons, non-human rights reasons, or administrative reasons.

"(B) In the case of units rejected for non-human rights reasons, a detailed description of the reasons relating to the rejection.

"(C) A description of the interagency processes that were used to evaluate compliance with requirements to conduct vetting.

"(D) An addendum that includes any comments by the commanders of the combatant commands about the impact of section 2249e [now 362] of title 10, United States Code (as so added), on their theater security cooperation plan.

"(E) Such other matters with respect to the administration of section 2249e [now 362] of title 10, United States Code (as so added), as the Secretary considers appropriate.

"(2) Form.—Each report under this subsection shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

"(3) Appropriate committees of congress defined.—In this subsection, the term 'appropriate committees of Congress' has the meaning given that term in subsection (f) of section 2249e [now 362] of title 10, United States Code (as so added)."

[For termination, effective Dec. 31, 2021, of annual reporting provisions in section 1204(b) of Pub. L. 113–291, set out above, see section 1061 of Pub. L. 114–328, set out as a note under section 111 of this title.]