United States-Jordan Defense Cooperation Act of 2024

(1) expeditious consideration of certifications of letters of offer to sell defense articles, defense services, design and construction services, and major defense equipment to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan under section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(b)) is fully consistent with United States security and foreign policy interests and the objectives of world peace and security; and

(2) the United States commitment to the stability and security of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is ironclad, as demonstrated by the signing of the fourth Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Partnership in September 2022, which provides $1,450,000,000 per year in United States bilateral foreign assistance to Jordan beginning in fiscal year 2023 and ending in fiscal year 2029.

During the 3-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan shall be treated as if it were a country listed in each of the provisions of law described in paragraph (2) for purposes of applying and administering such provisions of law.

The provisions of law described in this paragraph are the following provisions of the Arms Export Control Act:

(A) Subsections (b)(2), (d)(2)(B), (d)(3)(A)(i), and (d)(5) of section 3 (22 U.S.C. 2753).

(B) Subsections (e)(2)(A), (h)(1)(A), and (h)(2) of section 21 (22 U.S.C. 2761).

(C) Subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(6), (c), and (d)(2)(A) of section 36 (22 U.S.C. 2776).

(D) Section 62(c)(1) (22 U.S.C. 2796a(c)(1)).

(E) Section 63(a)(2) (22 U.S.C. 2796b(a)(2)).

Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Commander of United States Central Command, shall seek to work in cooperation with the Minister of Defense of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to establish or further capabilities for countering rockets, cruise and ballistic missiles, and manned and unmanned aerial systems that threaten the United States, Jordan, and other allies and partners of the United States, including threats from Iran and its terrorist proxies.

The Secretary shall ensure that any activities carried out under this subsection are conducted in a manner that appropriately protects sensitive technology and information and the national security interests of the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Activities may not be carried out under the authority provided by paragraph (1) until the date on which the Secretary submits to the appropriate congressional committees a report setting forth the following:

(A) A memorandum of agreement between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan regarding sharing of research and development costs for the capabilities described in paragraph (1)(A), including any supporting documents.

(B) A certification that such memorandum of agreement—

(i) requires sharing of costs of projects, including in-kind support, between the United States and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan;

(ii) establishes a framework to negotiate the rights to any intellectual property developed under the memorandum of agreement; and

(iii) requires the United States Government to receive semiannual reports on expenditure of funds, if any, by the Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, including a description of what the funds have been used for, when funds were expended, and an identification of entities that expended the funds.

In this subsection, the term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

Pursuant to section 1658 of the James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263), the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of State and with the concurrence of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, develop a plan to bolster the participation of Jordan in a multinational integrated air and missile defense architecture to protect the people, infrastructure, and territory of Jordan from cruise and ballistic missiles, manned and unmanned aerial systems, and rocket attacks from Iran or groups linked to Iran.

Not later than March 1, 2025, the Secretary and the Commander of United States Central Command shall provide to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives—

(A) a briefing on the progress of the Department of Defense towards bolstering the participation of Jordan in a multinational integrated air and missile defense architecture; and

(B) a list of requirements, including cost estimates, for strengthening the defense of Jordan within this architecture.

The authority to carry out activities described in subsection (b) and to provide support described in subsection (c) shall expire on December 31, 2028.