Title: Protecting NATO Skies Act of 2019
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
Protecting NATO Skies Act of 2019
This bill prohibits the transfer of an F-35 aircraft to Turkey and various activities related to such a transfer. The prohibition may be waived if the President certifies to Congress that Turkey does not intend to accept delivery of the S-400 air defense system, which Turkey has agreed to buy from Russia.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 922 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 922

           To limit the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 28, 2019

   Mr. Lankford (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mr. 
    Tillis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
           To limit the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 subsection (b), no funds 
may be obligated or expended--
            (1) to transfer, facilitate the transfer, or authorize the 
        transfer of, an F-35 aircraft to the Republic 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 otherwise 
        facilitate the storage in Turkey of, an F-35 aircraft 
        transferred to Turkey.
    (b) Exception.--The President may waive the limitation 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 system.
    (c) Transfer Defined.--In this section, the term ``transfer'' 
includes the physical relocation outside of the continental United 
States.
    (d) Applicability.--The limitation under subsection (a) does not 
apply to F-35 aircraft operated by the United States Armed Forces.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE SENATE ON PURCHASE BY TURKEY OF S-400 AIR DEFENSE 
              SYSTEM.

    (a) It is the sense of the Senate that, if the Government of Turkey 
purchases the S-400 air defense system from the Russian Federation--
            (1) such a purchase would constitute a significant 
        transaction within the meaning of section 231(a) of the 
        Countering Russian Influence in Europe 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 integrity of the 
        NATO alliance;
            (3) such a purchase would adversely affect ongoing 
        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 significant impact to 
        defense cooperation between the United States and Turkey;
            (5) such a purchase would significantly increase the risk 
        of compromising United States defense systems and operational 
        capabilities; and
            (6) the President should faithfully execute the Countering 
        Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia 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 such person 
        were a sanctioned person for purposes of such section.
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