I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1158 
To provide enhanced authority for the President to enter into agreements 
with the Government of Ukraine to lend or lease defense articles to 
that Government to protect civilian populations in Ukraine from Russian 
military invasion, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 10, 2025 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. COHEN) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To provide enhanced authority for the President to enter 
into agreements with the Government of Ukraine to lend 
or lease defense articles to that Government to protect 
civilian populations in Ukraine from Russian military 
invasion, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Freedom First Lend 
Lease Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. LOAN AND LEASE OF DEFENSE ARTICLES TO THE 
GOVERNMENTS OF UKRAINE AND EASTERN 
FLANK COUNTRIES. 
(a) AUTHORITY TO LEND OR LEASE DEFENSE ARTI-
CLES TO CERTAIN GOVERNMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 
for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the President may 
authorize the United States Government to lend or 
lease defense articles to the Government of Ukraine 
or to governments of Eastern European countries 
impacted by the Russian Federation’s invasion of 
Ukraine to help bolster those countries’ defense ca-
pabilities and protect their civilian populations from 
potential invasion or ongoing aggression by the 
armed forces of the Government of the Russian Fed-
eration. 
(2) EXCLUSIONS.—For the purposes of the au-
thority described in paragraph (1) as that authority 
relates to Ukraine, the following provisions of law 
shall not apply: 
(A) Section 503(b)(3) of the Foreign As-
sistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2311(b)(3)). 
(B) Section 61 of the Arms Export Control 
Act (22 U.S.C. 2796). 
(3) CONDITION.—Any loan or lease of defense 
articles to the Government of Ukraine under para-
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graph (1) shall be subject to all applicable laws con-
cerning the return of and reimbursement and repay-
ment for defense articles loan or leased to foreign 
governments. 
(4) DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY.—The Presi-
dent may delegate the enhanced authority under this 
subsection only to an official appointed by the Presi-
dent by and with the advice and consent of the Sen-
ate. 
(b) PROCEDURES FOR DELIVERY OF DEFENSE ARTI-
CLES.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the President shall establish expedited 
procedures for the delivery of any defense article loaned 
or leased to the Government of Ukraine under an agree-
ment entered into under subsection (a) to ensure timely 
delivery of the article to that Government. 
(c) DEFINITION OF DEFENSE ARTICLE.—In this Act, 
the term ‘‘defense article’’ has the meaning given that 
term in section 47 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
U.S.C. 2794). 
Æ 
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