Sec. 1209. Report on allied contributions to the common defense
470 words·~2 min read·
/bill/115/hr/5515/pcs/section-1209·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the sense of Congress that— in recognition of the growth in the economic and military strength of United States allies which has occurred since the commencement of applicable treaties or other mutual security arrangements— the burdens of mutual defense now assumed by some countries allied with the United States are not commensurate with their economic resources or security environments; many United States allies have failed to consistently meet their commitments and responsibilities; progress towards developing the necessary self-defense capabilities to fulfill commitments and contribute to the common defense has been disappointing at times; and the continued unwillingness of certain allied countries to increase their contributions to the common defense to more appropriate levels will endanger the vitality, effectiveness, and cohesion of the alliances and partnerships between those countries and the United States and increase risks to shared peace and prosperity; and the President should seek from each ally or partner country of the United States acceptance of international security responsibilities and agreements to make contributions to the common defense that are commensurate with the economic resources and security environment of such country, including, when appropriate, an increase in host nation support.
Chapter 16 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section: Not later than March 1, 2019, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees and to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives a report that includes a description of— the annual defense spending of each mutual defense treaty ally and major non-NATO ally, including the nominal budget figure and the share of such spending as a percentage of the ally’s gross domestic product, for the fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year in which the report is submitted; the activities of each such ally in contributing to military or stability operations in which the armed forces participate; any limitations that each such ally places on the use of the armed forces of such ally for such military or stability operations; and any actions undertaken by the United States or other countries to minimize or modify such limitations.
The report required by subsection
(a)shall be submitted in unclassified form but may contain a classified annex. In this section: The term mutual defense treaty ally means a country that is a party to a treaty of mutual defense with the United States. The term major non-NATO ally means a country so designated pursuant to section 2350a or section 517 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. . The table of sections at the beginning of chapter 16 of such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 386 the following new item: 387. Report on annual defense spending by ally and partner countries. .