§333. Foreign security forces: authority to build capacity

(a) Authority.—The Secretary of Defense is authorized to conduct or support a program or programs to provide training and equipment to the national security forces of one or more foreign countries for the purpose of building the capacity of such forces to conduct one or more of the following:

(1) Counterterrorism operations.

(2) Counter-weapons of mass destruction operations.

(3) Counter-illicit drug trafficking operations.

(4) Counter-transnational organized crime operations.

(5) Maritime and border security operations.

(6) Military intelligence operations.

(7) Operations or activities that contribute to an international coalition operation that is determined by the Secretary to be in the national interest of the United States.

(b) Concurrence and Coordination With Secretary of State.—

(1) Concurrence in conduct of programs.—The concurrence of the Secretary of State is required to conduct or support any program authorized by subsection (a).

(2) Joint development and planning of programs.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall jointly develop and plan any program carried out pursuant to subsection (a).

(3) Implementation of programs.—The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall coordinate the implementation of any program under subsection (a). The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State shall each designate an individual responsible for program coordination under this paragraph at the lowest appropriate level in the Department concerned.

(4) Coordination in preparation of certain notices.—Any notice required by this section to be submitted to the appropriate committees of Congress shall be prepared in coordination with the Secretary of State.

(c) Types of Capacity Building.—

(1) Authorized elements.—A program under subsection (a) may include the provision and sustainment of defense articles, training, defense services, supplies (including consumables), and small-scale construction.

(2) Required elements.—A program under subsection (a) shall include elements that promote the following:

(A) Observance of and respect for the law of armed conflict, human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

(B) Respect for civilian control of the military.

(3) Human rights training.—In order to meet the requirement in paragraph (2)(A) with respect to particular national security forces under a program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall certify, prior to the initiation of the program, that the Department of Defense is already undertaking, or will undertake as part of the security sector assistance provided to the foreign country concerned, human rights training that includes a comprehensive curriculum on human rights and the law of armed conflict, as applicable, to such national security forces.

(4) Institutional capacity building.—In order to meet the requirement in paragraph (2)(B) with respect to a particular foreign country under a program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall certify, prior to the initiation of the program, that the Department is already undertaking, or will undertake as part of the program, a program of institutional capacity building with appropriate institutions of such foreign country that is complementary to the program with respect to such foreign country under subsection (a). The purpose of the program of institutional capacity building shall be to enhance the capacity of such foreign country to exercise responsible civilian control of the national security forces of such foreign country.

(d) Limitations.—

(1) Assistance otherwise prohibited by law.—The Secretary of Defense may not use the authority in subsection (a) to provide any type of assistance described in subsection (c) that is otherwise prohibited by any provision of law.

(2) Prohibition on assistance to units that have committed gross violations of human rights.—The provision of assistance pursuant to a program under subsection (a) shall be subject to the provisions of section 362 of this title.

(3) Duration of sustainment support.—Sustainment support may not be provided pursuant to a program under subsection (a), or for equipment previously provided by the Department of Defense under any authority available to the Secretary during fiscal year 2015 or 2016, for a period in excess of five years unless the notice on the program pursuant to subsection (e) includes the information specified in paragraph (7) of subsection (e).

(e) Notice and Wait on Activities Under Programs.—Not later than 15 days before initiating activities under a program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a written and electronic notice of the following:

(1) The foreign country, and specific unit, whose capacity to engage in activities specified in subsection (a) will be built under the program, and the amount, type, and purpose of the support to be provided.

(2) A detailed evaluation of the capacity of the foreign country and unit to absorb the training or equipment to be provided under the program.

(3) The cost, implementation timeline, and delivery schedule for assistance under the program.

(4) A description of the arrangements, if any, for the sustainment of the program and the estimated cost and source of funds to support sustainment of the capabilities and performance outcomes achieved under the program beyond its completion date, if applicable.

(5) Information, including the amount, type, and purpose, on the security assistance provided the foreign country during the three preceding fiscal years pursuant to authorities under this title, the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and any other train and equip authorities of the Department of Defense.

(6) A description of the elements of the theater security cooperation plan of the geographic combatant command concerned, and of the interagency integrated country strategy, that will be advanced by the program.

(7) In the case of a program described in subsection (d)(3), each of the following:

(A) A written justification that the provision of sustainment support described in that subsection for a period in excess of five years will enhance the security interest of the United States.

(B) To the extent practicable, a plan to transition such sustainment support from funding through the Department to funding through another security sector assistance program of the United States Government or funding through partner nations.

(f) Quarterly Monitoring Reports.—The Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency shall, on a quarterly basis, submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report setting forth, for the preceding calendar quarter, the following:

(1) Information, by recipient country, of the delivery and execution status of all defense articles, training, defense services, supplies (including consumables), and small-scale construction under programs under subsection (a).

(2) Information on the timeliness of delivery of defense articles, defense services, supplies (including consumables), and small-scale construction when compared with delivery schedules for such articles, services, supplies, and construction previously provided to Congress.

(3) Information, by recipient country, on the status of funds allocated for programs under subsection (a), including amounts of unobligated funds, unliquidated obligations, and disbursements.

(g) Funding.—

(1) Sole source of funds.—Amounts for programs carried out pursuant to subsection (a) in a fiscal year, and for other purposes in connection with such programs as authorized by this section, may be derived only from amounts authorized to be appropriated for such fiscal year for the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance, Defense-wide, and available for the Defense Security Cooperation Agency for such programs and purposes.

(2) Availability of funds for programs across fiscal years.—

(A) In general.—Amounts available in a fiscal year to carry out the authority in subsection (a) may be used for programs under that authority that begin in such fiscal year and end not later than the end of the second fiscal year thereafter.

(B) Achievement of full operational capacity.—If, in accordance with subparagraph (A), equipment or training is delivered under a program under the authority in subsection (a) in the fiscal year after the fiscal year in which the program begins, amounts for defense articles, training, defense services, supplies (including consumables), and small-scale construction associated with such equipment or training and necessary to ensure that the recipient unit achieves full operational capability for such equipment or training may be used in the fiscal year in which the foreign country takes receipt of such equipment and in the next two fiscal years.

(Added Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(d)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2500.)

References in Text

The Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, referred to in subsec. (e)(5), is Pub. L. 87–195, Sept. 4, 1961, 75 Stat. 424, which is classified principally to chapter 32 (§2151 et seq.) of Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2151 of Title 22 and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 333 was renumbered section 253 of this title.

Guidance

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1241(d)(4), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2504, provided that: "Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2016], the Secretary of Defense shall prescribe, and submit to the congressional defense committees [Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives], initial policy guidance on roles, responsibilities, and processes in connection with programs and activities authorized by section 333 of title 10, United States Code, as so added. Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall prescribe, and submit to the congressional defense committees, final policy guidance on roles, responsibilities, and processes in connection with such programs and activities."