Security cooperation provisions in the FY2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) have escalated ongoing debates over U.S. security sector assistance to foreign countries and raised questions regarding whether existing authorities are able to meet current and evolving requirements. As the 114 th Congress winds down, Members of Congress are expected to reconcile remaining differences in the FY2017 NDAA. Policymakers and observers anticipate that the outcome of conference deliberations could significantly change the security cooperation and security sector assistance policy landscape. Since World War II, the U.S. Department of State has served as the lead agency in guiding U.S. security assistance to foreign countries, with long-standing authorities codified in Title 22 (Foreign Relations) of the U.S. Code and funded through congressional appropriations to the State Department. Such engagements have been viewed by many, including in Congress, as a tool of foreign policy. The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) implements some of these programs, but for many decades, it otherwise relegated the training, equipping, and assisting of foreign military forces as a secondary mission on its list of priorities, far below war-fighting. Over time, however, and particularly since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Congress has granted DOD new authorities in annual NDAAs and in Title 10 (Armed Services) of the U.S. Code to engage in "security cooperation" with foreign militaries and other security forces—now considered by DOD to be an "important tool" for executing its national security responsibilities and "an integral element of the DOD mission." This trend underlies a significant expansion of DOD direct engagements with foreign security forces and an accompanying increase in DOD's role in foreign policy decision-making. The incremental nature of Congress's adjustments to DOD's Title 10 authorities, however, has resulted in some 80 or more provisions that are described as an unwieldy "patchwork," which complicates the management, application, and oversight of such engagements. Congress enacted many of these DOD authorities to respond to emerging threats, but also imposed limits on their scope, application, and duration, sometimes based on country- or region-specific conditions and concerns. For at least 15 years, DOD's security cooperation authorities (and funding) have grown with its counterterrorism responsibilities, involvement in overseas contingency operations, evolving national security priorities, and efforts to counter asymmetrical threats. Some practitioners view today's mix of provisions as an obstacle to DOD's effective planning and execution of its objectives. Some also view the patchwork as problematic for State Department coordination of foreign policy. While some legal restrictions appear to stem from congressional oversight concerns, those restrictions may also complicate congressional oversight efforts in practice. In many respects, proposed provisions in the FY2017 NDAA seek to address existing concerns about how the security cooperation enterprise functions and to improve the ability of Congress to evaluate DOD's application of an expanded repertoire of security cooperation authorities. Provisions in the FY2017 NDAA, particularly those in the Senate-passed version of the bill ( S. 2943 ), could also alter the way in which DOD conducts security cooperation programming, the relationship between DOD and the State Department on security cooperation and security sector assistance matters, and Congress's oversight of related funding and programming. In April 2016, following a review of its security cooperation authorities, DOD formally submitted 10 proposals for the FY2017 NDAA to Congress that would consolidate several authorities already located in Title 10 of the U.S. Code and codify other temporary authorities and reporting requirements into a new chapter within Title 10, entitled "Security Cooperation." The proposals were sponsored by the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy and vetted and approved through the interagency process, including by the Office of Management and Budget and the State Department. One of DOD's overarching goals in its proposals was to organize and consolidate existing authorities. Another goal was to standardize statutory language, in an effort to provide more clarity to security cooperation planners and improve their ability to use existing authorities more effectively. Although some existing authorities would remain unchanged in substance as part of the proposals, others would be modified. Five authorities would be repealed for lack of use or redundancy. DOD also proposed consolidating several congressional reporting requirements on certain security cooperation authorities. The House and Senate responded to DOD's proposals in different ways. The House-passed version of the FY2017 NDAA, H.R. 4909 , included some of DOD's proposals, but only those that make no or minor changes to existing authorities. Recognizing calls for further security cooperation restructuring, but not incorporating major changes in the FY2017 NDAA, H.R. 4909 included a provision (§1206) that would require an "independent assessment" of DOD security cooperation programs. The Senate-passed version of the FY2017 NDAA, S. 2943 , would incorporate nearly all of DOD's proposals into a new security cooperation chapter in the U.S. Code. Furthermore, S. 2943 proposed several new, interrelated measures intended to better align DOD's programs and funding with what authorizing committee members have advanced as current and evolving strategic requirements, while also seeking to address existing challenges associated with executing security cooperation activities. In addition, S. 2943 offered provisions that would centralize all DOD security cooperation programs under a new funding mechanism; create a professionalized security cooperation workforce; support budgeting transparency; and require assessment, monitoring, and evaluation of security cooperation programs and activities. Proposals would also variously alter the statutorily required role of the State Department in overseeing security cooperation programs by changing existing requirements that the Secretary of State approve or jointly formulate certain existing DOD programs and activities. The Senate Armed Services Committee's (SASC's) markup of the FY2017 NDAA, from which the security cooperation proposals of S. 2943 originate, explained its purpose and objectives: In an effort to respond to the complaints of our military commanders and the Department more broadly, the NDAA contains a major reform designed to modernize and streamline DOD's security cooperation enterprise.... Together these steps will substantially reduce the cumbersome patchwork of legal authorities and sources of funding and significantly improve operational outcomes, program management, congressional oversight, and public transparency. By breaking down existing stovepipes, these reforms will also enable the Department to better align security cooperation activities with strategic objectives. In July 2016, the FY2017 NDAA went to conference to resolve differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions, and the lame duck session beginning in November is expected to address the NDAA conference report. Security cooperation provisions in the conference report may differ substantively from proposals contained in H.R. 4909 and S. 2943 , as passed by the House on May 18, 2016, and the Senate on June 14, 2016, respectively. For an overview and comparison of provisions associated with the proposed enactment of a new chapter in Title 10 on security cooperation, see Appendix A . As part of the proposed enactment of a new chapter in Title 10 of the U.S. Code devoted specifically to security cooperation, nearly 60 existing provisions in Title 10 or public law may variously be transferred, codified, modified, consolidated, repealed, or otherwise affected. Key proposed changes involve (1) changes to DOD's "global train and equip" authority, (2) changes to broaden the scope of existing DOD authorities, (3) changes to the State Department's role, (4) creation of a Security Cooperation Enhancement Fund (SCEF), and (5) changes to DOD's security cooperation management. Among the proposed changes to the FY2017 NDAA, S. 2943 is the most far-reaching in extent, particularly in its proposal to replace 10 U.S.C. 2282 on "Authority to Build the Capacity of Foreign Security Forces" with a new permanent authority that is much broader. First granted on a temporary basis in the FY2006 NDAA, the existing authority allows DOD to train and equip foreign security forces to conduct counterterrorism operations or to participate in or support allied or coalition military or stability operations in the U.S. national security interest. S. 2943 would authorize DOD to train and equip foreign forces for additional purposes, authorizing new activities, removing geographic limitations, allowing the U.S. military to provide types of support to a potentially wider range of foreign entities, and changing the way funds are administered. This re-conceptualized "global train and equip" authority would be codified at 10 U.S.C. 333, within the proposed new security cooperation chapter. S. 2943 would broaden the scope of authorized foreign capacity building to include training and equipping for counter-weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) operations; counter-illicit drug trafficking operations; counter-transnational organized crime (TOC) operations; maritime and border security operations; military intelligence operations in support of lawful military operations; humanitarian and disaster assistance operations; and national territorial defense of the foreign country concerned. As part of the expansions in the scope of authorized foreign capacity building, the proposed new Section 333 would also authorize provisions of lethal equipment on a global scale, which DOD is not currently authorized to provide under its existing counternarcotics, C-TOC, and humanitarian and disaster assistance programs and activities. The authority would also provide specific authority for DOD to train and equip foreign forces for humanitarian and disaster assistance and to fund programs in support of foreign national territorial defense. S. 2943 would also newly authorize DOD to support the sustainment of previously provided equipment under Section 333 to foreign partners. Moreover, S. 2943 would require human rights training, already a required element of 10 U.S.C. 2282, and defense institution building to be elements of all foreign capacity building conducted pursuant to its proposed new Section 333. Under 10 U.S.C.