A U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jet performs air maneuvers during a combat power exercise over the Utah Test and Training Range, Utah, USA November 19, 2018. US Air Force / Sgt. Cory D. Payne / Handout through REUTERS.
Two senior Democratic senators will introduce legislation on Friday that will reaffirm congressional oversight of oversight of international arms deals after President Joe Biden’s administration decided to continue selling $ 23 billion to the United Arab Emirates, which had worried lawmakers , said congress attendees.
The bill, seen by Reuters, will be introduced by Senators Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Dianne Feinstein, a senior member of the intelligence committee.
The “Secure F-35 Export Law of 2020” would apply to the sale of sophisticated US military technology to non-NATO countries or Israel, Australia, Japan, South Korea or New Zealand.
Among other things, it would ban the sale of the F-35 – which can take years after an agreement is reached – unless a president makes detailed certifications to Congress that critical technology will not fall into the wrong hands or otherwise compromise advanced technology. .
It would also require that any sale to a Middle Eastern country other than Israel should not compromise Israel’s military advantage over those countries and come with assurances that the aircraft will not be used in operations detrimental to Israeli security.
Reuters reported on Tuesday that the Biden administration had told lawmakers it was trying to sell more than $ 23 billion in weapons to the United Arab Emirates, including advanced F-35s, armed drones and other equipment. Read more
The Democratic administration has suspended transactions agreed by former Republican President Donald Trump to allow for a review.
Sales to the Gulf nation were signed just before Trump left office on Jan. 20, and many members of Congress – especially Biden’s fellow Democrats – felt they were in a hurry without proper review. Read more
“We need to take protections to ensure that the incredibly sensitive technology of these aircraft is not compromised by the hostile powers of the United States, including ensuring that the UAE withdraws from its growing relationship with China and other US competitors,” he said. Menendez in a press release provided. to Reuters.
The Trump administration told Congress in November that it approved the sale of the United States to the United Arab Emirates as a parallel agreement to the Abraham Accords, a US-mediated agreement in September in which the United Arab Emirates agreed to normalize relations with Israel.
In the last months of the Trump administration, Israel has entered into agreements with the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco as part of the agreements.
The $ 23.37 billion package contained products from General Atomics, Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT.N) and Raytheon Technologies Corp. (RTX.N), including 50 F-35 Lighting II aircraft, up to 18 unmanned aerial systems. MQ-9B and a package of air-to-air and air-to-ground ammunition.
MPs in the House of Representatives also expressed concern about Biden’s decision. Representative Gregory Meeks, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said on Wednesday that he and other lawmakers are worried about the decision and will review the transactions. L1N2M735P
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