What This Bill Does
This bill gives the President the authority to enter into a cooperative agreement with Iraq and countries on the Arabian Peninsula. The agreement would allow these countries to jointly research, develop, test and produce defense equipment and services to detect, track and destroy armed drones that threaten the United States and its partners in the region.
Who It Affects
The President of the United States, Iraq, countries on the Arabian Peninsula (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen), and their military and defense organizations.
Key Provisions
• The President can enter into a cooperative agreement with Iraq and Arabian Peninsula countries to research and develop technology to detect, track and destroy armed unmanned aerial systems that threaten the U.S. and its partners. (Sec. 3(a))
• The cooperative agreement must follow the rules in the Arms Export Control Act regarding how defense equipment and services are used, transferred and kept secure. (Sec. 3(b)(1))
• The countries involved must establish a framework to negotiate who owns the rights to any new technology or inventions created through this agreement. (Sec. 3(b)(1)(B))
• Any defense equipment resulting from this agreement is subject to congressional notification requirements under the Arms Export Control Act. (Sec. 3(b)(2))
• Nothing in this bill allows the President to use military force. (Sec. 4)
What Changes
The President gains the legal authority to enter into a cooperative agreement with Iraq and Arabian Peninsula countries to jointly develop technology to counter armed drones. This changes what agreements the President can make regarding defense research and development in this region.
Important Definitions
"Arabian Peninsula" means Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. (Sec. 2)
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 430
To provide authority to enter into a cooperative agreement to protect civilians
in Iraq and on the Arabian Peninsula from weaponized unmanned aerial
systems.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 15, 2023
Mr. RISCH (for himself and Mr. MENENDEZ) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
A BILL
To provide authority to enter into a cooperative agreement
to protect civilians in Iraq and on the Arabian Peninsula
from weaponized unmanned aerial systems.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
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It is the sense of Congress that—
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(1) the United States should improve coopera-
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tion with allies, including Israel, and like-minded
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partners to systematically map out, expose, and dis-
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rupt missile and drone procurement networks used
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by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and
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•S 430 IS
other Iranian proxies targeting United States forces
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and assets and United States allies and partners in
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the region;
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(2) the partner countries of the United States,
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including Iraq and countries on the Arabian Penin-
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sula, face urgent and emerging threats from un-
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manned aerial systems and other unmanned aerial
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vehicles;
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(3) joint research and development to counter
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unmanned aerial systems will serve the national se-
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curity interests of the United States and its partners
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in Iraq and on the Arabian Peninsula;
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(4) development of counter Unmanned Aircraft
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Systems technology will reduce the impacts of these
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attacks, build deterrence, and increase regional sta-
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bility; and
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(5) the United States and partners in Iraq and
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on the Arabian Peninsula should continue to work
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together to protect against the threat from un-
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manned aerial systems.
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SEC. 2. DEFINED TERM.
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In this Act, the term ‘‘Arabian Peninsula’’ means
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Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United
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Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
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•S 430 IS
SEC. 3. AUTHORITY TO ENTER INTO A COOPERATIVE
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AGREEMENT TO PROTECT CIVILIANS IN IRAQ
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AND ON THE ARABIAN PENINSULA FROM
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WEAPONIZED UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—The President is authorized to
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enter into a cooperative project agreement with Iraq and
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countries on the Arabian Peninsula under the authority
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of section 27 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C.
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2767) to carry out research on and development, testing,
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evaluation, and joint production (including follow-on sup-
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port) of defense articles and defense services to detect,
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track, and destroy armed unmanned aerial systems that
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threaten the United States and its partners in Iraq and
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on the Arabian Peninsula.
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(b) APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS.—
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The cooperative project
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agreement described in subsection (a)—
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(A) shall provide that any activities carried
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out pursuant to such agreement are subject
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to—
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(i) the applicable requirements de-
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scribed in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C)
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of section 27(b)(2) of the Arms Export
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Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2767(b)(2)); and
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(ii) any other applicable requirements
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of the Arms Export Control Act (22
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•S 430 IS
U.S.C. 2751 et seq.) with respect to the
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use, transfer, and security of such defense
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articles and defense services under such
3
Act; and
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(B) shall establish a framework to nego-
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tiate the rights to intellectual property devel-
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oped under such agreement.
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(2) CONGRESSIONAL
NOTIFICATION
REQUIRE-
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MENTS.—Notwithstanding section 27(g) of the Arms
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Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2767(g)), any de-
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fense articles that result from a cooperative project
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agreement shall be subject to the requirements
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under subsections (b) and (c) of section 36 of such
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Act (22 U.S.C. 2776).
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SEC. 4. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION WITH RESPECT TO USE
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OF MILITARY FORCE.
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Nothing in this Act may be construed as an author-
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ization for the use of military force.
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Æ
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