,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #efdh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ah1 #bjad ,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to improve defense cooperation between the ,united ,states and the ,hashemite ,kingdom of ,jordan4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,united ,states-,jordan ,defense ,cooperation ,act of #bjad4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,from the #b1djj1jjj1jjj in total ,united ,states multilateral funding for the ,syrian humanitarian crisis1 the ,united ,states ,government has provided #bfh1jjj1jjj to the ,hashemite ,kingdom of ,jordan4 7#b7 ,as of ,august #bjad1 the ,united ,nations ,high ,commissioner for ,refugees estimates there are more than #fjj1jjj registered ,syrian refugees in ,jordan4 7#c7 ,jordan estimates that more than #hjj1jjj unregistered refugees are in ,jordan living outside of refugee camps1 assimilated into local communities1 which would bring the total to approximately #a1djj1jjj ,syrian refugees in ,jordan4 7#d7 ,in ,february #bjad1 ,president ,obama announced that the ,united ,states and ,jordan will renew the non-binding memorandum of understanding that was signed in #bjjh to provide assistance to ,jordan over a #e-year period that reinforces the commitment to broaden cooperation and dialogue between the two countries in a variety of areas4 7#e7 ,in #bjjj1 the ,united ,states and ,jordan signed a free-trade agreement that went into force in #bjja4 7#f7 ,in #aiif1 the ,united ,states granted ,jordan major non-,,nato ally status4 7#g7 ,jordan is suffering from the ,syrian refugee crisis and the threat of the ,islamic ,state of ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil74 7#h7 ,the ,government of ,jordan was elected as a non-permanent member of the ,united ,nations ,security ,council beginning in ,january #bjad and terminating in ,december #bjae4 7#i7 ,enhanced support for defense cooperation with ,jordan is important to the national security of the ,united ,states1 including through creation of a status in law for ,jordan similar to the countries in the ,north ,atlantic ,treaty ,organization1 ,japan1 ,australia1 the ,republic of ,korea1 ,israel1 and ,new ,zealand1 with respect to consideration by ,congress of foreign military sales to ,jordan4 #c4 ,statement of policy ,it should be the policy of the ,united ,states to support the ,hashemite ,kingdom of ,jordan in its response to the ,syrian refugee crisis1 provide necessary assistance to alleviate the domestic burden to provide basic needs for the assimilated ,syrian refugees1 cooperate with ,jordan to combat the terrorist threat from the ,islamic ,state of ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil7 or other terrorist organizations1 and help secure the border between ,jordan and its neighbors ,syria and ,iraq4 #d4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that expeditious consideration of certifications of letters of offer to sell defense articles1 defense services1 design and construction services1 and major defense equipment to the ,hashemite ,kingdom of ,jordan under section #cf7;b7 of the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bggf7;b77 is fully consistent with ,united ,states security and foreign policy interests and the objectives of world peace and security4 #e4 ,amendments to ,arms ,export ,control ,act ,the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgea et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 in section #c 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgec7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b77#b71 by inserting the ,government of ,jordan1 before or the ,government of ,new ,zealand2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7d7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#b77;,b71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 7ii7 in paragraph 7#c77;,a77i71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 and 7iii7 in paragraph 7#e71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 7#b7 in section #ba 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgfa7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7e77#b77;,a71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 and 7,b7 in subsection 7h7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#a77;,a71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,israel2 and 7ii7 in paragraph 7#b71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,israel both places it appears2 7#c7 in section #cf 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bggf7-- 7,a7 in subsection 7b7-- 7i7 in paragraph 7#a71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 7ii7 in paragraph 7#b71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 and 7iii7 in paragraph 7#f71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 7,b7 in subsection 7c71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand both places it appears2 and 7,c7 in subsection 7d77#b77;,a71 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 7#d7 in section #fb7;c77#a7 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgif;a7c77#a771 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand2 and 7#e7 in section #fc7;a77#b7 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgif;b7a77#b771 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand4 #f4 ,amendment to ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa ,section #fef7;a77#b7 of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bdaf7;a77#b77 by inserting ,jordan1 before or ,new ,zealand4 #g4 ,memorandum of understanding 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary of ,state is authorized1 subject to the availability of appropriations1 to enter into a ,memorandum of ,understanding with ,jordan to increase military cooperation1 including joint military exercises1 personnel exchanges1 support for international peacekeeping missions1 and enhanced strategic dialogue4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsection 7a7 not less than #a1jjj1jjj1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjae through #bjai4 #h4 ,foreign ,military ,financing program ,amounts made available under the ,foreign ,military ,financing 7,,fmf7 program estimated to be outlayed for ,jordan during each of the fiscal years #bjae through #bjai shall be disbursed to an interest-bearing account for ,jordan in the ,federal ,reserve ,bank of ,new ,york not later than #cj days of the date of the enactment of this ,act provided that-- 7#a7 withdrawal of funds from such account shall be made only on authenticated instructions from the ,defense ,finance and ,accounting ,service of the ,department of ,defense2 7#b7 in the event such account is closed1 the balance of the account shall be transferred promptly to the appropriations account for the ,foreign ,military ,financing ,program2 and 7#c7 none of the interest accrued by such account should be obligated unless the ,committee on ,appropriations and the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs of the ,house of ,representatives and the ,committee on ,appropriations and the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations of the ,senate are notified4