H. R. 5515—443 
‘‘(2) FUNDING
AVAILABILITY
AND
LIMITATIONS.—The Sec-
retary of State shall provide that each entity that receives 
funds under this subsection is selected in accordance with the 
relevant existing regulations through a process that ensures 
such entity has the credibility and capability to carry out effec-
tively and in accordance with United States interests and objec-
tives the purposes specified in paragraph (1) for which such 
entity received such funding.’’; 
(6) by redesignating subsections (h) and (i) as subsections 
(i) and (j), respectively; and 
(7) by inserting after subsection (g) the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(h) CONGRESSIONAL
BRIEFINGS.—The Secretary of State, 
together with the heads of other relevant Federal departments 
and agencies, shall provide a briefing to the Committee on Armed 
Services, the Committee on Appropriations, and the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed 
Services, the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on For-
eign Affairs, and the Committee on Oversight and Government 
Reform of the House of Representatives not less often than annually 
regarding the activities of the Global Engagement Center. The 
briefings required under this subsection shall terminate on the 
date specified in subsection (j).’’. 
SEC. 1285. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON COUNTERING HYBRID THREATS 
AND MALIGN INFLUENCE. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense and 
the Secretary of State should— 
(1) work together to build and lead an international effort 
among like-minded democratic countries to increase awareness 
of and resilience to the Kremlin’s malign influence operations; 
and 
(2) urgently prioritize submission of the report required 
by section 1239A(d) of the National Defense Authorization Act 
for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115–91; 131 Stat. 1671) on 
a comprehensive strategy to counter malign activities of Russia. 
SEC. 1286. INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT PROTECTION OF NATIONAL SECU-
RITY ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS FROM UNDUE INFLU-
ENCE AND OTHER SECURITY THREATS. 
(a) INITIATIVE REQUIRED.—The Secretary of Defense shall, in 
consultation with other appropriate government organizations, 
establish an initiative to work with academic institutions who per-
form defense research and engineering activities— 
(1) to support protection of intellectual property, controlled 
information, key personnel, and information about critical tech-
nologies relevant to national security; 
(2) to limit undue influence, including through foreign 
talent programs, by countries to exploit United States tech-
nology within the Department of Defense research, science 
and technology, and innovation enterprise; and 
(3) to support efforts toward development of domestic talent 
in relevant scientific and engineering fields. 
(b) INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The initiative required by subsection (a) 
shall be developed and executed to the maximum extent prac-
ticable with academic research institutions and other edu-
cational and research organizations.
H. R. 5515—444 
(2) RECORD OF EXCELLENCE.—In selecting research institu-
tions of higher education under this subsection, the Secretary 
shall prioritize selection of institutions of higher education that 
the Secretary determines demonstrate a record of excellence 
in industrial security in academia and in research and develop-
ment. 
(c) REQUIREMENTS.—The initiative required by subsection (a) 
shall include development of the following: 
(1) Information exchange forum and information reposi-
tories to enable awareness of security threats and influence 
operations being executed against the United States research, 
technology, and innovation enterprise. 
(2) Training and other support for academic institutions 
to promote security and limit undue influence on institutions 
and personnel, including financial support for execution for 
such activities. 
(3) The capacity of government and academic institutions 
and institutions of higher education to assess whether individ-
uals affiliated with Department of Defense programs have 
participated in or are currently participating in foreign talent 
programs or expert recruitment programs. 
(4) Opportunities to collaborate with defense researchers 
and research organizations in secure facilities to promote 
protection of critical information and strengthen defense against 
foreign intelligence services. 
(5) Regulations and procedures— 
(A) for government and academic organizations and 
personnel to support the goals of the initiative; and 
(B) that are consistent with policies that protect open 
and scientific exchange in fundamental research. 
(6) Policies to limit or prohibit funding provided by the 
Department of Defense for institutions or individual researchers 
who knowingly violate regulations developed under the initia-
tive, including regulations relating to foreign talent programs. 
(7) Initiatives to support the transition of the results of 
academic institution research programs into defense capabili-
ties. 
(d) BRIEFING.—Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall provide a briefing to 
the congressional defense committees on the following: 
(1) Ongoing implementation of the initiative required by 
subsection (a). 
(2) The development of a definition for ‘‘foreign talent pro-
grams’’ for the purposes of the initiative. 
(3) The preliminary results of the report required by sub-
section (e). 
(e) REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the congressional defense committees a report on the activities 
carried out under the initiative required by subsection (a). 
(2) CONTENTS.—The report required by paragraph (1) shall 
include the following: 
(A) A description of the activities conducted and the 
progress made under the initiative. 
(B) The findings of the Secretary with respect to the 
initiative.
H. R. 5515—445 
(C) Such recommendations as the Secretary may have 
for legislative or administrative action relating to the mat-
ters described in subsection (a), including actions related 
to foreign talent programs. 
(D) Identification and discussion of the gaps in legal 
authorities that need to be improve to enhance the security 
of research institutions of higher education performing 
defense research. 
(E) A description of the actions taken by such institu-
tions to comply with such best practices and guidelines 
as may be established by under the initiative. 
(3) FORM.—The report submitted under paragraph (1) shall 
be submitted in both unclassified and classified formats, as 
appropriate. 
(f) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION DEFINED.—The term 
‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the meaning given such term 
in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1001). 
SEC. 1287. REPORT ON HONDURAS, GUATEMALA, AND EL SALVADOR. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, in coordination 
with the Secretary of Defense and other appropriate agencies, shall 
submit to the congressional defense committees, the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate, and the Committee on Foreign 
Affairs of the House of Representatives a report regarding narcotics 
trafficking corruption and illicit campaign finance in Honduras, 
Guatemala, and El Salvador. 
(b) MATTERS TO BE INCLUDED.—The report required under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) the names of senior government officials in Honduras, 
Guatemala, and El Salvador who are known to have committed 
or facilitated acts of grand corruption or narcotics trafficking; 
(2) the names of elected officials in Honduras, Guatemala, 
and El Salvador who are known to have received campaign 
funds that are the proceeds of narco-trafficking or other illicit 
activities in the last 2 years; and 
(3) the names of individuals in Honduras, Guatemala, and 
El Salvador who are known to have facilitated the financing 
of political campaigns in any of the Northern Triangle countries 
with the proceeds of narco-trafficking or other illicit activities 
in the last 2 years. 
(c) FORM.—The report submitted under subsection (a) shall 
be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified 
annex. 
SEC. 1288. MODIFICATION OF FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION REPORTING 
REQUIREMENTS. 
Subsection (a) of section 1275 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 130 
Stat. 2540), as amended by section 1262(a)(1) of the National 
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (Public Law 115– 
91; 131 Stat. 1689), is further amended by striking ‘‘the Committees 
on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives’’ 
and inserting ‘‘the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee 
on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed 
Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of 
Representatives’’.
H. R. 5515—446 
SEC. 1289. COORDINATION OF EFFORTS TO NEGOTIATE FREE TRADE 
AGREEMENTS WITH CERTAIN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN 
COUNTRIES. 
Section 1293 of the National Defense Authorization Act for 
Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114–328; 19 U.S.C. 3723 note) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) COORDINATION WITH MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORA-
TION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—After the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, with respect to those countries identified under 
section 110(b)(1) of the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 
2015 (Public Law 114–27; 129 Stat. 370; 19 U.S.C. 3705 note) 
that also meet the country description in paragraph (2), the 
United States Trade Representative shall consult and coordi-
nate with the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the 
United States Agency for International Development for the 
purpose of developing and carrying out the plan required by 
section 116(b) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 
U.S.C. 3723(b)). 
‘‘(2) COUNTRY DESCRIPTION.—A country is described in this 
paragraph if the country— 
‘‘(A) has entered into a Millennium Challenge Compact 
pursuant to section 609 of the Millennium Challenge Act 
of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 7708); or 
‘‘(B) is selected by the Board of Directors of the Millen-
nium Challenge Corporation under subsection (c) of section 
607 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 7706) from among the countries 
determined to be eligible countries under subsection (a) 
of that section.’’. 
SEC. 1290. CERTIFICATIONS REGARDING ACTIONS BY SAUDI ARABIA 
AND THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IN YEMEN. 
(a) RESTRICTION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), if the Secretary 
of State is unable under subsection (c) or (d) to certify that 
the Government of Saudi Arabia and the Government of the 
United Arab Emirates are undertaking the effort, measures, 
and actions described in subsection (c), no Federal funds may 
be obligated or expended after the deadline for the applicable 
certification to provide authorized in-flight refueling pursuant 
to section 2342 of title 10, United States Code, or other 
applicable statutory authority, of Saudi or Saudi-led coalition 
non-United States aircraft conducting missions in Yemen, other 
than missions related to— 
(A) al Qaeda, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula 
(AQAP), or the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS); 
(B) countering the transport, assembly, or employment 
of ballistic missiles or components in Yemen; 
(C) helping coalition aircraft return safely to base in 
emergency situations; 
(D) force protection of United States aircraft, ships, 
or personnel; or 
(E) freedom of navigation for United States military 
and international commerce. 
(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the restriction in 
paragraph (1) with respect to a particular certification if the 
Secretary—