IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 17, 1999 Ms. MCKINNEY (for herself, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. LEACH, Ms. RIVERS, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. PORTER, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Mr. WEINER, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mrs. MINK of Hawaii, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. BARRETT of Wisconsin, Mr. DIXON, Mr. STARK, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mrs. MORELLA, Mr. WYNN, Mr. LANTOS, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. NADLER, Mr. TIERNEY, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. MOAKLEY, Mr. LUTHER, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. HILLIARD, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. MINGE, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. OBERSTAR, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. EVANS, Mr. CLAY, Mr. WATT of North Carolina, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. BROWN of Califoia, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. CLYBURN, and Ms. LEE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL To prohibit United States military assistance and arms transfers to foreign governments that are undemocratic, do not adequately protect human rights, are engaged in acts of armed aggression, or are not fully participating in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Code of Conduct on Arms Transfers Act of 1999'.

SEC. 2. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this Act is to provide clear policy guidelines and congressional responsibility for determining the eligibility of foreign governments to be considered for United States military assistance and arms transfers.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITION OF UNITED STATES MILITARY ASSISTANCE AND ARMS TRANSFERS TO CERTAIN FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.

(a) PROHIBITION- Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c), United States military assistance and arms transfers may not be provided to a foreign government for any fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this Act unless the President certifies to Congress for that fiscal year that such government meets the following requirements:

(1) PROMOTES DEMOCRACY- Such government--(A) was chosen by and permits free and fair elections; (B) promotes civilian control of the military and security forces and has civilian institutions controlling the policy, operation, and spending of all law enforcement and security institutions, as well as the armed forces; (C) promotes the rule of law, equality before the law, and respect for individual and minority rights, including freedom to speak, publish, associate, and organize; and (D) promotes the strengthening of political, legislative, and civil institutions of democracy, as well as autonomous institutions to monitor the conduct of public officials and to combat corruption.

(2) RESPECTS HUMAN RIGHTS- Such government-(A) does not engage in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights, including-- (i) extrajudicial or arbitrary executions; (ii) disappearances; (iii) torture or severe mistreatment; (iv) prolonged arbitrary imprisonment;
(v) systematic official discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, national origin, or political affiliation; and (vi) grave breaches of international laws of war or equivalent violations of the laws of war in internal conflicts; (B) vigorously investigates, disciplines, and prosecutes those responsible for gross violations of internationally recognized human rights; (C) permits access on a regular basis to political prisoners by international humanitarian organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross; (D) promotes the independence of the judiciary and other official bodies that oversee the protection of human rights; (E) does not impede the free functioning of domestic and international human rights organizations; and (F) provides access on a regular basis to humanitarian organizations in situations of conflict or famine.

(3) NOT ENGAGED IN CERTAIN ACTS OF ARMED AGGRESSION- Such government is not currently engaged in acts of armed aggression in violation of international law.

(4) FULL PARTICIPATION IN UNITED NATIONS REGISTER OF CONVENTIONAL ARMS- Such government is fully participating in the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.

(b) REQUIREMENT FOR CONTINUING COMPLIANCE- Any certification with respect to a foreign government for a fiscal year under subsection (a) shall cease to be effective for that fiscal year if the President certifies to Congress that such government has not continued to comply with the requirements contained in paragraphs (1) through (4) of such subsection.

(c) EXEMPTIONS-

(1) IN GENERAL- The prohibition contained in subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a foreign government for a fiscal year if- (A) subject to paragraph (2), the President submits a request for an exemption to Congress containing a determination that it is in the national security interest of the United States to provide military assistance and arms transfers to such government; or (B) the President determines that an emergency exists under which it is vital to the interest of the United States to provide military assistance and arms transfers to such government.

(2) DISAPPROVAL- A request for an exemption to provide military assistance and arms transfers to a foreign government shall not take effect, or shall cease to be effective, if a law is enacted disapproving such request.

(d) NOTIFICATIONS TO CONGRESS-

(1) IN GENERAL- The President shall submit to Congress initial certifications under subsection (a) and requests for exemptions under subsection (c)(1)(A) in conjunction with the submission of the annual congressional presentation documents for foreign assistance programs for a fiscal year and shall, where appropriate, submit additional or amended certifications and requests for exemptions at any time thereafter in the fiscal year.

(2) DETERMINATION WITH RESPECT TO EMERGENCY SITUATIONS- Whenever the President determines that it would not be contrary to the national interest to do so, he shall submit to Congress at the earliest possible date reports containing determinations with respect to emergencies under subsection (c)(1)(B). Each such report shall contain a description of- A) the nature of the emergency; B) the type of military assistance and arms transfers provided to the foreign government; and C) the cost to the United States of such assistance and arms transfers.

SEC. 4. PROMOTING AN INTERNATIONAL ARMS TRANSFERS REGIME.

(a) INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION- Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, the President shall compile a list of countries that do not meet the requirements in section 3(a) and for which the President has not requested an exemption under section 3(c). The President shall--

(1) notify the governments participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual Use Goods and Technologies, done at Vienna, July 11 and 12, 1996 (in this section referred to as the `Wassenaar Arrangement'), and such other foreign governments as the President deems appropriate, that the countries so listed are ineligible to receive United States arms sales and military assistance under this Act; and

(2) request that the countries so notified also declare the listed countries as ineligible for arms sales and military assistance.

(b) MULTILATERAL EFFORTS- The President shall continue and expand efforts through the United Nations and other international fora, such as the Wassenaar Arrangement, to limit arms transfers worldwide, particularly transfers to countries that do not meet the criteria established in section 3, for the purpose of establishing a permanent multilateral regime to govern the transfer of conventional arms.

(c) REPORT-

(1) IN GENERAL- Beginning one year after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the President shall submit a report to Congress-(A) describing efforts he has undertaken during the preceding year to gain international acceptance of the principles contained in section 3; and (B) evaluating the progress made toward establishing a multilateral regime to control the transfer of conventional arms.

(2) SUBMISSION OF THE REPORT- This report shall be submitted in conjunction with the submission of the annual congressional presentation documents for foreign assistance programs for a fiscal year.

SEC. 5. UNITED STATES MILITARY ASSISTANCE AND ARMS TRANSFERS DEFINED.

For purposes of this Act, the terms `United States military assistance and arms transfers' and `military assistance and arms transfers' mean-
(1) assistance under chapter 2 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to military assistance), including the transfer of excess defense articles under section 516 of that Act;

(2) assistance under chapter 5 of part II of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (relating to international military education and training);

(3) the transfer of defense articles, defense services, or design and construction services under the Arms Export Control Act (excluding any transfer or other assistance under section 23 of such Act to countries that are specifically identified and approved for such assistance in law), including defense articles and defense services licensed or approved for export under section 38 of that Act; or

(4) assistance under sections 2010 and 2011 of title 10, United States Code, and assistance under section 1004 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991.