Should the U.S. Extend its Defense Partnership With Jordan? (H.R. 2646)

What is H.R. 2646?

(Updated December 12, 2018)

This bill would extend the country of Jordan’s eligibility for streamlined defense sales until December 31, 2022 that was first granted by the U.S.-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2015. It would also express the sense of Congress that the U.S. and Jordan should negotiate a new Memorandum of Understanding through FY2022 to enhance Jordan’s military capacity and local economy. The president is authorized to establish and operate an enterprise fund to provide the assistance, which would terminate upon liquidation or December 31, 2022 — whichever comes first.

Argument in favor

Jordan is one of the new nations in the Middle East that the U.S. can rely on, and it shares a strategic interest in defeating ISIS. This partnership is necessary to bolster Jordan’s military.

Argument opposed

While defeating ISIS is important, the U.S. doesn’t need more expedited defense sales to Jordan. Those transactions should go through a more deliberative process.

Impact

Members of the U.S. military or contractors that train or assist the Jordanian military; the Dept. of Defense; and Congress.

Cost of H.R. 2646

The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would cost less than $500,000 over the 2018-2022 period.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) introduced this bill to extend defense cooperation between the U.S. and Jordan:

“On the front lines in the fight against terror and other regional crises, Jordan is one of our closest and most important partners in the Middle East. A key contributor to the anti-ISIS coalition, Jordan has also taken in over one million refugees from Syria and other neighboring countries, putting a significant strain on the kingdom’s economy, public services, infrastructure, and social cohesion. At a time when the U.S. needs Jordan’s support and influence in the Middle East more than ever, my bill aims to shore up our ally’s military capacity to ensure a stable and secure Jordan that is capable of advancing our mutual priorities and interests.”

This legislation passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee on a voice vote and has the support of 11 bipartisan cosponsors, including six Democrats and five Republicans.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) Press Release
  
• CBO Cost Estimate
  
• Al-Monitor
  
• Sunshine State News