Security Cooperation Act of 2010

Floor Speech

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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this important national security measure. Mr. Speaker, this legislation is comprised of three components. First, it authorizes the transfer of certain naval vessels to U.S. friends and allies abroad, including India, Greece and Taiwan.

It also includes language previously adopted by the House that strengthens the U.S. commitment to the security of the Jewish state of Israel by expediting the process for approving foreign military sales to that country and by extending the dates and the amounts of U.S. excess equipment that can be transferred to Israel from regional stockpiles.

Thirdly, it provides a statutory basis for the President to implement defense trade cooperation treaties signed between the government of the United States and the governments of the U.K. and Australia respectively. These treaties represent a fundamental shift in the way the United States conducts defense trade with its closest allies.

Rather than reviewing export licenses, the treaties will establish a structure in which trade in defense articles, technology, and services can take place more freely between approved communities in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia where such trade is in support of combined military and counterterrorism operations, joint research and development, production and support programs, and mutually agreed upon projects where the end user is the U.K., the Australian Government, or U.S. Government end users.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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