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To provide limitations on the transfer of air-to-ground munitions from the United States to Saudi Arabia.

S.J. Res. 40 · 115th Congress · Apr 6, 2017 · Lineage

JOINT RESOLUTION

Section 1 Definitions

In this resolution:
(1)
Air-to-ground munitions— The term air-to-ground munitions means any United States bomb or missile designed as a Category IV item on the United States Munitions List pursuant to section 38 (a)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778 (a)(1)).
(2)
Appropriate congressional committees— The term appropriate congressional committees means the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.
(3)
Authorized sale— The term authorized sale means any sale of United States defense articles or services authorized pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.).
(4)
Designated foreign terrorist organizations— The term designated foreign terrorist organizations means groups designated by the United States as foreign terrorist organizations pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189) or Specially Designated Global Terrorists pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note).
(5)
Proposed sale— The term proposed sale means any sale notified to Congress pursuant to subsections (b) or (c) of section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776).

Sec. 2 Conditions of transfer

(a)
Limitation— No transfer to Saudi Arabia of United States air-to-ground munitions may occur until the President makes the certification described under section 3.
(b)
Certification at time of Congressional notification— Any notification to Congress made on or after the date of the enactment of this resolution with respect to a proposed sale to Saudi Arabia of air-to-ground munitions shall be accompanied by the certification described under section 3.

Sec. 3 Conditions required prior to sale

The certification described under this section is a certification by the President to the appropriate congressional committees as follows:
(1)
The Government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners are taking all feasible precautions to reduce the risk of harm to civilians and civilian objects to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, which includes minimizing harm to civilians, discriminating between civilian objects and military objectives, and exercising proportional use of force in the course of military actions it pursues for the purpose of legitimate self-defense as described in section 4 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2754).
(2)
The Government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners are making demonstrable efforts to facilitate the flow of critical humanitarian aid and commercial goods, including commercial fuel and commodities not subject to sanction or prohibition under United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015).
(3)
The Government of Saudi Arabia is taking effective measures to target designated foreign terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and affiliates of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant as part of its military operations in Yemen.

Sec. 4 Reporting requirements

(a)
Reporting requirements— Prior to any transfer of United States air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia pursuant to an authorized sale to Saudi Arabia of air-to-ground munitions or the notification to Congress of a proposed sale to Saudi Arabia of air-to-ground munitions, the President or the President's designee shall provide a briefing to the appropriate congressional committees. The briefing shall include—
(1)
a description of the nature, content, costs, and purposes of any United States support for the Government of Saudi Arabia’s coalition military operations in Yemen on or after March 26, 2015;
(2)
an assessment of whether the Government of Saudi Arabia’s military operations in Yemen on or after March 26, 2015, constitute legitimate self-defense;
(3)
an assessment of whether the Government of Saudi Arabia’s coalition operations have deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure in Yemen on or after March 26, 2015, and whether the armed forces of the Government of Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners have taken all possible steps to comply with the rules of distinction, proportionality, and precautions, as regulated by Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts, done at Geneva June 8, 1977;
(4)
an assessment of whether the armed forces of Saudi Arabia have used United States-origin munitions in any attacks against civilians or civilian infrastructure in Yemen on or after March 26, 2015, and the effect of such attacks on the United States credibility in the region;
(5)
an assessment of the effect of Saudi Arabia’s military operations in Yemen on its ability to contribute to United States efforts to defeat al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; and
(6)
an assessment on how the transfer of major defense equipment to Saudi Arabia contributes to United States foreign policy and national security objectives in the region.
(b)
Form of briefing— The briefing required under subsection (a) shall be conducted in an unclassified forum but may be conducted in a classified setting as required.

Sec. 5 Sunset

This resolution shall cease to have effect three years after the date of the enactment of this resolution, unless renewed.