132 
IRAQ TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND 
For 
the 
‘‘Iraq 
Train 
and 
Equip 
Fund’’, 
$715,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
2017: Provided, That such funds shall be available to the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary 
of State, pursuant to section 1236 of the Carl Levin and 
Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authoriza-
tion Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291; 128 
Stat. 3558), to provide assistance, including training, 
equipment, logistics support, supplies, and services, sti-
pends, infrastructure repair, renovation, and sustainment 
to military and other security forces of or associated with 
the Government of Iraq, including Kurdish and tribal se-
curity forces or other local security forces, with a national 
security mission, to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and 
the Levant: Provided further, That the Secretary of De-
fense shall ensure that prior to providing assistance to ele-
ments of any forces such elements are appropriately vet-
ted, including at a minimum, assessing such elements for 
associations with terrorist groups or groups associated 
with the Government of Iran; and receiving commitments 
from such elements to promote respect for human rights 
and the rule of law: Provided further, That the Secretary 
of Defense may accept and retain contributions, including 
assistance in-kind, from foreign governments, including
133 
the Government of Iraq, and other entities, to carry out 
assistance authorized under this heading: Provided fur-
ther, That contributions of funds for the purposes provided 
herein from any foreign government or other entities, may 
be credited to this Fund, to remain available until ex-
pended, and used for such purposes: Provided further, 
That not more than 25 percent of the funds appropriated 
under this heading may be obligated or expended until not 
fewer than 15 days after: (1) the Secretary of Defense 
submits a report to the appropriate congressional commit-
tees, describing the plan for the provision of such training 
and assistance and the forces designated to receive such 
assistance; and (2) the President submits a report to the 
appropriate congressional committees on how assistance 
provided under this heading supports a larger regional 
strategy: Provided further, That of the amount provided 
under this heading, not more than 60 percent may be obli-
gated or expended until not less than 15 days after the 
date on which the Secretary of Defense certifies to the 
appropriate congressional committees that an amount 
equal to not less than 40 percent of the amount provided 
under this heading has been contributed by other coun-
tries and entities for the purposes for which funds are pro-
vided under this heading, of which at least 50 percent 
shall have been contributed or provided by the Govern-
134 
ment of Iraq: Provided further, That the limitation in the 
preceding proviso shall not apply if the Secretary of De-
fense determines, in writing, that the national security ob-
jectives of the United States will be compromised by the 
application of the limitation to such assistance, and noti-
fies the appropriate congressional committees not less 
than 15 days in advance of the exemption taking effect, 
including a justification for the Secretary’s determination 
and a description of the assistance to be exempted from 
the application of such limitation: Provided further, That 
the Secretary of Defense may waive a provision of law re-
lating to the acquisition of items and support services or 
sections 40 and 40A of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
U.S.C. 2780 and 2785) if the Secretary determines such 
provisions of law would prohibit, restrict, delay or other-
wise limit the provision of such assistance and a notice 
of and justification for such waiver is submitted to the 
appropriate congressional committees: Provided further, 
That the term ‘‘appropriate congressional committees’’ 
under this heading means the congressional defense com-
mittees, the Committees on Appropriations and Foreign 
Relations of the Senate and the Committees on Appropria-
tions and Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives: 
Provided further, That amounts made available under this 
heading are designated by the Congress for Overseas Con-
135 
tingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to 
section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
SYRIA TRAIN AND EQUIP FUND 
For 
the 
‘‘Syria 
Train 
and 
Equip 
Fund’’, 
$600,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 
2017: Provided, That such funds shall be available to the 
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Secretary 
of State, to provide assistance, including training, equip-
ment, supplies, stipends, construction of training and as-
sociated facilities, and sustainment, to appropriately vet-
ted elements of the Syrian opposition and other appro-
priately vetted Syrian groups and individuals for the fol-
lowing purposes: defending the Syrian people from attacks 
by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, and securing 
territory controlled by the Syrian opposition; protecting 
the United States, its friends and allies, and the Syrian 
people from the threats posed by terrorists in Syria; and 
promoting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to 
end the conflict in Syria: Provided further, That the Sec-
retary may accept and retain contributions, including as-
sistance in-kind, from foreign governments and other enti-
ties to carry out activities authorized under this heading: 
Provided further, That contributions of funds for the pur-
poses provided herein from any foreign government or
136 
other entities may be credited to this Fund, to remain 
available until expended and used for such purposes: Pro-
vided further, That the Secretary may provide assistance 
to third countries for purposes of the provision of assist-
ance authorized under this heading: Provided further, 
That the term ‘‘appropriately vetted’’ shall be construed 
to mean, at a minimum, assessments of possible recipients 
for associations with terrorist groups including the Islamic 
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Jabhat al Nusrah, 
Ahrar al Sham, other al-Qaeda related groups, Hezbollah, 
or Shia militias supporting the Governments of Syria or 
Iran; and for commitment to the rule of law and a peaceful 
and democratic Syria: Provided further, That none of the 
funds used pursuant to this authority shall be used for 
the procurement or transfer of man-portable air-defense 
systems: Provided further, That nothing in this section 
shall be construed to constitute a specific statutory au-
thorization for the introduction of the United States 
Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations wherein 
hostilities are clearly indicated by the circumstances, in 
accordance with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Reso-
lution: Provided further, That such amount is designated 
by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/ 
Global 
War 
on 
Terrorism 
pursuant 
to 
section