[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1619 Introduced in House (IH)]
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115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1619
To authorize assistance and training to increase maritime security and
domain awareness of foreign countries bordering the Persian Gulf, the
Arabian Sea, or the Mediterranean Sea in order to deter and counter
illicit smuggling and related maritime activity by Iran, including
illicit Iranian weapons shipments.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 17, 2017
Mr. Ruiz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Armed Services, and in addition to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To authorize assistance and training to increase maritime security and
domain awareness of foreign countries bordering the Persian Gulf, the
Arabian Sea, or the Mediterranean Sea in order to deter and counter
illicit smuggling and related maritime activity by Iran, including
illicit Iranian weapons shipments.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Stop Iran From Smuggling Weapons to
Terrorists Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO INCREASE
MARITIME SECURITY AND DOMAIN AWARENESS OF FOREIGN
COUNTRIES BORDERING THE PERSIAN GULF, ARABIAN SEA, OR
MEDITERRANEAN SEA.
(a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to authorize
assistance and training to increase maritime security and domain
awareness of foreign countries bordering the Persian Gulf, the Arabian
Sea, or the Mediterranean Sea in order to deter and counter illicit
smuggling and related maritime activity by Iran, including illicit
Iranian weapons shipments.
(b) Authority.--
(1) In general.--To carry out the purpose of this section
as described in subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense, with
the concurrence of the Secretary of State, is authorized--
(A) to provide training to the national military or
other security forces of Israel, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia,
the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar that
have among their functional responsibilities maritime
security missions; and
(B) to provide training to ministry, agency, and
headquarters level organizations for such forces.
(2) Designation.--The provision of assistance and training
under this section may be referred to as the ``Counter Iran
Maritime Initiative''.
(c) Types of Training.--
(1) Authorized elements of training.--Training provided
under subsection (b)(1)(A) may include the provision of de
minimis equipment, supplies, and small-scale military
construction.
(2) Required elements of training.--Training provided under
subsection (b) shall include elements that promote the
following:
(A) Observance of and respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
(B) Respect for legitimate civilian authority
within the country to which the assistance is provided.
(d) Availability of Funds.--Of the amount authorized to be
appropriated for fiscal year 2018 and available for operation and
maintenance for Defense-wide activities, $50,000,000 shall be available
only for the provision of assistance and training under subsection (b).
(e) Cost Sharing.--
(1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that,
given income parity among recipient countries, the Secretary of
Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, should
seek, through appropriate bilateral and multilateral
arrangements, payments sufficient in amount to offset any
training costs associated with implementation of subsection
(b).
(2) Cost-sharing agreement.--The Secretary of Defense, with
the concurrence of the Secretary of State, shall negotiate a
cost-sharing agreement with a recipient country regarding the
cost of any training provided pursuant to subsection (b). The
agreement shall set forth the terms of cost sharing that the
Secretary of Defense determines are necessary and appropriate,
but such terms shall not be less than 50 percent of the overall
cost of the training.
(3) Credit to appropriations.--The portion of such cost
sharing received by the Secretary of Defense pursuant to this
subsection may be credited towards appropriations available for
operation and maintenance for Defense-wide activities.
(f) Notice to Congress on Training.--Not later than 15 days before
exercising the authority under subsection (b) with respect to a
recipient country, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the
appropriate congressional committees a notification containing the
following:
(1) An identification of the recipient country.
(2) A detailed justification of the program for the
provision of the training concerned, and its relationship to
United States security interests.
(3) The budget for the program, including a timetable of
planned expenditures of funds to implement the program, an
implementation timeline for the program with milestones
(including anticipated delivery schedules for any assistance
and training under the program), the military department or
component responsible for management of the program, and the
anticipated completion date for the program.
(4) A description of the arrangements, if any, to support
recipient country sustainment of any capability developed
pursuant to the program, and the source of funds to support
sustainment efforts and performance outcomes to be achieved
under the program beyond its completion date, if applicable.
(5) A description of the program objectives and an
assessment framework to be used to develop capability and
performance metrics associated with operational outcomes for
the recipient force.
(6) Such other matters as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(g) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate
congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
(h) Termination.--Assistance and training may not be provided under
this section after September 30, 2021.
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