,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #egdg ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,november #bj1 #bjad ,mr4 ,royce 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,engel1 ,mr4 ,rohrabacher1 ,mr4 ,deutch1 ,ms4 ,ros-,lehtinen1 ,ms4 ,gabbard1 ,mr4 ,mc,caul1 ,mr4 ,connolly1 ,mr4 ,kinzinger of ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,vargas1 ,mr4 ,poe of ,texas1 ,ms4 ,meng1 ,mr4 ,franks of ,arizona1 ,mr4 ,van ,hollen1 ,mr4 ,holding1 ,mr4 ,turner1 ,mr4 ,chabot1 ,mr4 ,de,santis1 ,mr4 ,cook1 ,mr4 ,clawson of ,florida1 ,mr4 ,diaz-,balart1 ,mr4 ,duncan of ,south ,carolina1 ,mr4 ,sherman1 ,mr4 ,fortenberry1 and ,mr4 ,fitzpatrick7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to authorize the direct provision of defense articles1 defense services1 and related training to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,since #bjaa1 the terrorist group now known as the ,islamic ,state in ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil71 has rapidly expanded1 now possessing greater funding1 more personnel1 and heavier weapons than any other terrorist force4 7#b7 ,,isil has threatened to continue attacking ,united ,states persons and interests and has an apocalyptic vision for a larger confrontation with the ,united ,states and its allies in the ,middle ,east4 7#c7 ,according to the ,united ,states intelligence community1 approximately #bj1jjj to #cj1jjj ,,isil fighters operate in ,iraq and ,syria1 an estimated #c1jjj of which are believed to have western passports4 7#d7 ,,isil finances itself through looting1 smuggling1 taxes1 oil sales1 kidnapping1 and human trafficking4 7#e7 ,according to ,united ,states officials1 ,,isil captured approximately #a1ejj ,humvees1 a number of other modern armored vehicles and transport trucks1 over #ej long-range ,global ,positioning ,system 7,,gps7-guided artillery pieces1 a substantial number of artillery shells1 a large quantity of small arms1 approximately #d1jjj heavy machine guns1 and other weapons from the ,iraqi ,security ,forces in ,june #bjad1 and has also reportedly captured a number of other weapons and vehicles from ,bashar al-,assad's forces in ,syria4 7#f7 ,the rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation in ,iraq caused by ,,isil advances in ,iraq and ,syria has resulted in approximately #a1ejj1jjj refugees and internally displaced people from ,syria and ,iraq taking refuge in the ,iraqi ,kurdistan region4 ,the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government is facing a humanitarian and budget crisis while defending itself from ,,isil4 7#g7 ,the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government 7,,krg7 is the democratically elected government of the ,kurdistan ,region in ,iraq1 and ,iraqi ,kurds have been a reliable and stable partner of the ,united ,states4 7#h7 ,the ,iraqi constitution guarantees the right of ,iraqi regions1 such as ,iraqi ,kurdistan1 to maintain internal security forces for the region such as police1 security forces1 and guards of the region4 7#i7 ,the ,kurdish ,peshmerga forces are officially organized under the ,ministry of ,peshmerga ,affairs and commanded by the ,minister of ,peshmerga1 who reports to the ,president of the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government4 7#aj7 ,,isil has positioned its forces along a #fej-mile border with the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government's ,peshmerga forces4 7#aa7 ,,isil has employed captured armored vehicles1 long-range artillery1 and heavy weapons in attacking thinly stretched ,kurdish forces along the border4 7#ab7 ,united ,states airstrikes against ,,isil targets have helped stall the terrorist organization's advance on territory held by ,kurdish forces1 but have not proven to be militarily decisive against ,,isil4 7#ac7 ,the ,united ,states and its allies have provided the resupply of various small arms and training to ,peshmerga forces since ,june #bjad4 7#ad7 ,such resupply efforts1 to comply with ,united ,states law1 must be approved and coordinated through the ,government of ,iraq4 ,in the initial phase of the resupply effort1 the ,government of ,iraq constrained and delayed the emergency supply of weapons to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government4 7#ae7 ,the ,peshmerga forces lack battle-ready armored vehicles and the ability to take significant offensive action against ,,isil forces1 leading to requests for such assistance4 7#af7 ,armored vehicles1 anti-armor weapons1 long-range artillery1 and other weapons are consistent with the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government's constitutional right to defend itself against the clear and present danger posed by ,,isil4 7#ag7 ,a strong ,peshmerga force is essential to countering the ,,isil threat to ,iraq1 the region1 and ,united ,states interests4 7#ah7 ,the longer ,,isil's sanctuary remains largely unchallenged1 the more time it will have to reinforce its positions1 and plan attacks against ,united ,states interests4 #b4 ,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 defeating the ,islamic ,state in ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil7 is critical to maintaining a unified ,iraq in which all faiths and ethnicities are afforded equal protection and full integration into the ,iraqi government and society2 7#b7 the people of ,kurdistan face an urgent and deadly threat from ,,isil which the ,iraqi ,security ,forces1 of which the ,peshmerga are a component1 are currently unable to match in armaments2 7#c7 any outstanding issues between the ,government of ,iraq and the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government should be resolved by the two parties expeditiously to allow for a resumption of normal relations2 and 7#d7 ,,isil's recent advances and continued growth present an imminent threat to ,iraqi ,kurdistan1 the rest of ,iraq and the ,middle ,east1 and international security4 #c4 ,statement of ,policy ,it shall be the policy of the ,united ,states to directly provide the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government with advanced conventional weapons1 training1 and defense services1 on an emergency and temporary basis1 to more effectively partner with the ,united ,states and other international coalition members to defeat the ,islamic ,state in ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil74 #d4 ,temporary emergency authorization of defense articles1 defense services1 and related training directly to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government 7a7 ,in general ,the ,president should consult with the ,government of ,iraq in carrying out the authority provided in subsection 7b74 7b7 ,authorization 7#a7 ,military assistance ,the ,president is authorized to provide defense articles1 defense services1 and related training directly to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government for the purpose of supporting international coalition efforts against the ,islamic ,state in ,iraq and the ,levant 7,,isil7 or any successor group4 7#b7 ,defense exports ,the ,president is authorized to issue licenses authorizing ,united ,states exporters to export defense articles1 defense services1 and related training directly to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government4 ,for purposes of processing applications for such export licenses1 the ,president is authorized to accept ,end ,use ,certificates approved by the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government4 7#c7 ,types of assistance ,assistance authorized under paragraph 7#a7 and exports authorized under paragraph 7#b7 may include anti-tank and anti-armor weapons1 armored vehicles1 long-range artillery1 crew-served weapons and ammunition1 secure command and communications equipment1 body armor1 helmets1 logistics equipment1 excess defense articles and other military assistance that the ,president determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,relationship to existing authorities2 conditions of eligibility 7#a7 ,relationship to existing authorities ,assistance authorized under subsection 7b77#a7 and licenses for exports authorized under subsection 7b77#b7 shall be provided pursuant to the applicable provisions of the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgea et seq47 and the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baea et seq471 notwithstanding any requirement in such applicable provisions of law that a recipient of assistance of the type authorized under subsection 7b77#a7 shall be a country or international organization4 7#b7 ,conditions of eligibility ,in addition to such other provisions as the ,president may require1 no defense article1 defense service1 or related training may be provided to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government under the authority of subsection 7b77#a7 or 7b77#b7 unless the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government agrees that-- 7,a7 it will not provide any such defense article1 defense service1 or related training to anyone who is not an officer1 employee1 or agent of the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government1 and 7,b7 it will not use or permit the use of any such defense article1 defense service1 or related training for purposes other than the purposes for which it was provided1 unless the consent of the ,president has first been obtained4 7d7 ,report 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #fj days after the date of the enactment of this ,act1 the ,president shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the following3 7,a7 ,the anticipated defense articles1 defense services1 and related training to be provided under the authority of subsections 7b77#a7 and 7b77#b74 7,b7 ,a timeline for the provision of such defense articles1 defense services1 and related training4 7,c7 ,a description of mechanisms and procedures for end-use monitoring of such defense articles1 defense services1 and related training4 7,d7 ,how such defense articles1 defense services1 and related training would contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the ,united ,states1 as well as impact security in the region4 7#b7 ,definition ,in this subsection1 the term appropriate congressional committees means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs1 the ,committee on ,appropriations1 and the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,house of ,representatives2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations1 the ,committee on ,appropriations1 and the ,committee on ,armed ,services of the ,senate4 7e7 ,notification ,the ,president should provide notification to the ,government of ,iraq prior to defense articles1 defense services1 or related training being provided to the ,kurdistan ,regional ,government under the authority of subsection 7b77#a7 or 7b77#b74 7f7 ,definitions ,in this section1 the terms defense article1 defense service1 and training have the meanings given those terms in section #dg of the ,arms ,export ,control ,act 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bgid74 7g7 ,termination ,the authority to provide defense articles1 defense services1 and related training under subsection 7b77#a7 and the authority to issue licenses for exports authorized under subsection 7b77#b7 shall terminate on the date that is #c years after the date of the enactment of this ,act4