Sec. 1269. Removal of Turkey from the F–35 program
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/bill/115/hr/5515/pap/section-1269·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress makes the following findings: The Government of the Republic of Turkey continues to unlawfully and wrongfully detain Andrew Brunson, a United States citizen, and continues to deny Mr. Brunson due process rights consistent with international norms. The Government of the Republic of Turkey has wrongly charged Andrew Brunson with belonging to a terrorist organization and engaging in terrorist activities. The Government of the Republic of Turkey, including the senior leadership of the government, bears direct responsibility for the health and safety of Andrew Brunson while he remains in the custody of the Government of the Republic of Turkey.
Congress will not tolerate any foreign government’s efforts to use United States citizens for political leverage. President Erdogan, along with other senior officials of the Government of the Republic of Turkey, have publicly and repeatedly stated the intention of the Government of the Republic of Turkey to purchase the S–400 system from Russia, an act that is sanctionable under current United States law. Any effort by the Government of the Republic of Turkey to further enhance their relationship with Russia will degrade the general security of the NATO alliance, and NATO member countries, and degrade interoperability of the alliance.
The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan to remove the Government of the Republic of Turkey from participation in the F–35 program, to include industrial and military aspects of the program. The plan shall include: steps required to unwind industrial participation of Turkish industry in the manufacturing and assembly of the F–35 program; costs associated with replacing tooling and other manufacturing materials held by Turkish industry; timelines associated with the removal of the Government of the Republic of Turkey and Turkish industry from participation in the F–35 program, so as to cause the least impact on the remaining international program partners; and steps required to prohibit the transfer of any F–35 aircraft currently owned and operated, by the Government of the Republic of Turkey, from the territory of the United States.
The Department of Defense may not transfer the title for any F–35 aircraft to the Government of the Republic of Turkey, until such time as the report identified in subsection
(b)has been submitted. In this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— the congressional defense committees; and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives.