Bills
| 3.23.22

Should The U.S. Offer Excess Naval Vessels To Some Foreign Countries? (S. 1683)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is S. 1683?

(Updated December 21, 2017)

This bill was enacted on December 18, 2014

This bill would authorize the President to sell some of the Navy's excess vessels for up to three years. 


This would include the sale of up to four naval vessels to Taiwan, however, S. 1683 also authorizes the transfer of any vessel named in S. 1683 to any country named in S.1683 — as long as those transfers are do not exceed the limit of vessels offered to any one country. 


Vessels include, the Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigates Curts, McClusky, Rentz, Vandergrift, Taylor, Gary, Carr, Elrod, USS Klakring, USS De Wert, and USS Robert G. Bradely. 

Countries named include Mexico and Thailand. Pakistan is also listed, but on the condition that it is cooperating with U.S. counterterrorism efforts and 'not supporting terrorist activities." Pakistan also must prove that it is taking steps to release Dr. Shakil Afridi, is dismantling improvised explosive device (IED) networks, and keeping tabs on it's military agencies to make sure they are not interfering with Pakistan's political and judicial processes. The president can waive these requirements. 

Argument in favor

If we don't need them, why not turn a quick profit by offering them to other militaries that could benefit from them?

Argument opposed

It makes no sense to extend our technologies (albeit older technologies) to potentially threatening countries like Pakistan.

Impact

People who currently work on some Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile frigates, U.S. naval shipyards, militaries in the named countries, the President.

Cost of S. 1683

A CBO cost estimate found that the successful sale of these excess naval vessels would reduce direct spending by $40 million over the 2014-2023 period. However, some provisions would increase discretionary spending by about $2 million over the 2014-2018 period — assuming these funds would be available.

Additional Info

In Depth: 

S. 1683 dumps the cost of transferring these vessels to foreign countries on said countries. However, if vessels fall into disrepair, they can be refurbished in U.S. shipyards. 


The Foreign Assistance Act would be changed to increase the funds available for transferring excess defense equipment. 


Also, in what seems like an unrelated provision, S. 1683 would authorizes the President between 2014 and 2016, to enter into cooperative arrangements for integrated air and missile defense programs in Southwest Asia. These would be between foreign and U.S. military and civilian defense personnel.  


Media: 

CBO Cost Estimate

(Photo Credit: "Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates underway in 1982" by USN - U.S. DefenseImagery photo VIRIN: DN-ST-82-09444. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons)