Arms Sale Oversight Act

To modify the expedited procedures in the House of Representatives under section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act with respect to consideration of joint resolutions prohibiting proposed sales of defense articles or services, prohibiting proposed licenses for exports of defense articles or services, and prohibiting approval of United States commercial technical assistance or manufacturing licensing agreements. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Arms Sale Oversight Act 2. Modification of expedited procedures in the House of Representatives under section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act (a) In general Section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act ( 22 U.S.C. 2776 (1) In subsection (b), by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows: (3) Any such joint resolution shall be considered in the House of Representatives in accordance with the following: (A) (i) If the committee to which a joint resolution with respect to a proposed sale has been referred has not reported it at the end of 10 calendar days after its referral, it shall be in order to move either to discharge the committee from further consideration of such resolution or to discharge the committee from further consideration of any other resolution with respect to such proposed sale which has been referred to the committee. (ii) A motion to discharge may be made only by an individual favoring the resolution, shall be highly privileged (except that it may not be made after the committee has reported a resolution with respect to the same proposed sale), and debate thereon shall be limited to not more than one hour, to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the resolution. An amendment to the motion shall not be in order, and it shall not be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the motion was agreed to or disagreed to. (iii) If the motion to discharge is agreed to or disagreed to, the motion may not be renewed, nor may another motion to discharge the committee be made with respect to any other resolution with respect to the same proposed sale. (B) (i) When the committee has reported, or has been discharged from further consideration of, a resolution, it shall be at any time thereafter in order (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. The motion shall be highly privileged and shall not be debatable. An amendment to the motion shall not be in order, and it shall not be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the motion was agreed to or disagreed to. (ii) Debate on the resolution referred to in clause (i) of this subparagraph shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing such resolution. A motion further to limit debate shall not be debatable. An amendment to, or motion to recommit, the resolution shall not be in order, and it shall not be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which such resolution was agreed to or disagreed to. (C) (i) Motions to postpone, made with respect to the discharge from committee, or the consideration of a resolution and motions to proceed to the consideration of other business, shall be decided without debate. (ii) Appeals from the decision of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the House of Representatives to the procedure relating to a resolution shall be decided without debate. (D) Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, if the House of Representatives has approved a resolution with respect to a proposed sale, then it shall not be in order to consider in the House of Representatives any other resolution with respect to the same such sale. . (2) In each of subsections (c)(3)(B) and (d)(5)(B) by striking For the purpose House of Representatives Any such joint resolution shall be considered in the House of Representatives in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b)(3) of this section. (b) Effective date The amendments made by subsection (a) take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply with respect to any joint resolution described in subsection (b)(3), (c)(3)(B), or (d)(5)(B) of section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act that is introduced in the House of Representatives or the Senate, as the case may be, on or after such date of enactment.

Summary: Arms Sale Oversight Act This bill revises House of Representatives procedures for considering joint resolutions related to weapons and defense services sales to foreign countries, export licenses for such weapons and services, and technical assistance or manufacturing agreements with foreign countries. Currently, the President must provide certification supporting such an action, which can go forward unless Congress enacts a joint resolution opposing it. The bill provides for rules such as who may make a motion to discharge the resolution from committee and time limits on debate.