Stop Iran From Smuggling Weapons to Terrorists Act

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. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Stop Iran From Smuggling Weapons to Terrorists Act 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 2020 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 (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, 2023.

Summary: Stop Iran From Smuggling Weapons to Terrorists Act This bill authorizes the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide training to (1) 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 (2) ministry-, agency-, and headquarters-level organizations for such forces. Such assistance and training may be referred to as the Counter Iran Maritime Initiative. Such training may include the provision of de minimis equipment, supplies, and small-scale military construction and shall include the promotion of human rights and respect for legitimate civilian authority. DOD shall negotiate a training cost-sharing agreement with a recipient country that covers at least 50% of related costs.