,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #dcjj  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #bd1      
#bjbb,mr4 ,cruz introduced the following
 bill2 which was read twice and referred
 to the ,committee on ,armed ,services  
,a ,,bill  ,to express the sense of     
,congress on security cooperation with  
,bahrain and to require a report on     
capabilities upgrades for the ,fifth    
,fleet1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,bahrain ,security ,cooperation     
,improvement ,act4  #b4 ,sense of       
,congress on security cooperation with  
,bahrain ,it is the sense of ,congress  
that-- 7#a7 it is in the national       
security interests of the ,united       
,states to maintain a strong            
relationship with ,bahrain and to       
support the military efforts of         
,bahrain2  7#b7 ,bahrain has a critical 
role as the host of the ,united ,states 
,navy's ,fifth ,fleet 7referred to in   
this ,act as the ,fifth ,fleet7 and the 

,united ,states ,naval ,forces ,central 
,command2  7#c7 ,bahrain is a major     
defense and security cooperation partner
 of the ,united ,states1 as recognized  
in #bjjb by the designation of ,bahrain 
as a major non-,,nato ally of the       
,united ,states2  7#d7 the number of    
exchanges between defense and law       
enforcement officials of the ,united    
,states and ,bahrain at the strategic1  
policy1 and tactical levels should be   
increased for purposes of-- 7,a7        
enhancing cooperation on defense        
planning2  7,b7 improving intelligence  
sharing to combat terrorism2 and  7,c7  
improving interoperability between the  
,ministry of ,interior of ,bahrain and  
the ,fifth ,fleet2  7#e7 the ,united    
,states should ensure ,bahrain has      
appropriate capabilities with respect to
 its air1 missile1 and unmanned aerial  
systems defense assets to support peace 
efforts in the area of responsibility of
 the ,fifth ,fleet2  7#f7 it is         
important for the ,united ,states to be 

a source of consistent and reliable     
defense assets for ,bahrain2  7#g7 the  
,united ,states should deepen           
interoperability with ,bahrain with     
respect to defense capabilities1        
including-- 7,a7 maritime and air domain
 awareness2  7,b7 integrated air and    
missile defense systems2 and  7,c7      
counter-unmanned aircraft system        
measures2  7#h7 to the extent           
practicable1 the ,secretary of ,defense 
should prioritize the inclusion of      
,bahrain in military exercises so as to 
increase security cooperation between1  
and the readiness of1 ,bahrain and the  
,united ,states2 and  7#i7 it is in the 
best interests of the ,united ,states   
and ,bahrain to work together to oppose 
terrorism and radical extremism in the  
,middle ,east4  #c4 ,report on ,fifth   
,fleet capabilities upgrades  7a7 ,in   
general ,not later than #ahj days after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary of ,defense shall submit 
to the congressional defense committees 

7as defined in section #aja7;a7 of title
 #aj1 ,united ,states ,code7 a report   
on-- 7#a7 capabilities upgrades         
necessary to enable the ,fifth ,fleet to
 address emerging threats in its area of
 responsibility2 and  7#b7 any costs    
associated with such upgrades4  7b7     
,element ,the report required by        
subsection 7a7 shall include an         
assessment of ,department of ,defense   
efforts-- 7#a7 to increase the number of
 exchanges between defense and law      
enforcement officials of the ,united    
,states and ,bahrain at the strategic1  
policy1 and tactical levels for purposes
 of-- 7,a7 enhancing cooperation on     
defense planning2  7,b7 improving       
intelligence sharing to combat          
terrorism2 and  7,c7 improving          
interoperability between the public     
security forces of ,bahrain and the     
,fifth ,fleet2  7#b7 to ensure that     
,bahrain has appropriate capabilities   
with respect to its air1 missile1 and   
unmanned aerial systems defense assets  

to support peace efforts in the area of 
responsibility of the ,fifth ,fleet2 and
  7#c7 to deepen interoperability with  
,bahrain with respect to defense        
capabilities1 including-- 7,a7 maritime 
and air domain awareness2  7,b7         
integrated air and missile defense      
systems2 and  7,c7 counter-unmanned     
aircraft system measures4