I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3263 
To limit the transfer of F–35 aircraft to Turkey. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 13, 2019 
Mr. CICILLINE (for himself, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. PALLONE, 
Mr. SARBANES, Ms. SPEIER, and Ms. TITUS) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in ad-
dition to the Committees on Financial Services, Oversight and Reform, 
Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To limit the transfer of F–35 aircraft to Turkey. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protecting NATO 
Skies Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON TRANSFER OF F–35 AIRCRAFT TO 
TURKEY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided under sub-
section (b), no funds may be obligated or expended— 
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(1) to transfer, facilitate the transfer, or au-
thorize the transfer of, an F–35 aircraft to the Re-
public of Turkey; 
(2) to transfer intellectual property or technical 
data necessary for or related to any maintenance or 
support of the F–35 aircraft; or 
(3) to construct a storage facility for, or other-
wise facilitate the storage in Turkey of, an F–35 air-
craft transferred to Turkey. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—The President may waive the limi-
tation under subsection (a) upon a written certification to 
Congress that the Government of Turkey does not plan 
or intend to accept delivery of the S–400 air defense sys-
tem. 
(c) TRANSFER DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘transfer’’ includes the physical relocation outside of the 
continental United States. 
(d) APPLICABILITY.—The limitation under sub-
section (a) does not apply to F–35 aircraft operated by 
the United States Armed Forces. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS ON PURCHASE BY TUR-
KEY OF S–400 AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM. 
It is the sense of the Congress that, if the Govern-
ment of Turkey purchases the S–400 air defense system 
from the Russian Federation— 
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(1) such a purchase would constitute a signifi-
cant transaction within the meaning of section 
231(a) of the Countering Russian Influence in Eu-
rope and Eurasia Act of 2017 (title II of Public Law 
115–44; 22 U.S.C. 9525(a)); 
(2) such a purchase would endanger the integ-
rity of the NATO alliance; 
(3) such a purchase would adversely affect on-
going operations of the United States Armed Forces, 
including coalition operations in which the United 
States Armed Forces participate; 
(4) such a purchase would result in a signifi-
cant impact to defense cooperation between the 
United States and Turkey; 
(5) such a purchase would significantly increase 
the risk of compromising United States defense sys-
tems and operational capabilities; and 
(6) the President should faithfully execute the 
Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eur-
asia Act of 2017 by imposing and applying sanctions 
under section 235 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 9529) with 
respect to any individual or entity determined to 
have engaged in such significant transaction as if 
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such person were a sanctioned person for purposes 
of such section. 
Æ 
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