Bill Summary
The "Arms Sale Oversight Act" amends the expedited procedures for reviewing joint resolutions in the House of Representatives concerning the sale of defense articles or services, as well as certain export licenses and technical assistance agreements. The key modifications include:
1. **Committee Reporting**: If a committee does not report a joint resolution within 10 calendar days, members may move to discharge the committee from further consideration of the resolution, allowing it to be debated and voted on in the House.
2. **Debate and Voting**: The act specifies that a motion to discharge is highly privileged and non-debatable, limited to one hour of debate when the resolution is considered. Similarly, the debate on the resolution itself is capped at 10 hours, also with no amendments permitted.
3. **Limitations on Further Consideration**: Once a resolution concerning a proposed sale has been voted on by the House, no additional resolutions on the same sale can be considered.
Overall, the legislation aims to enhance oversight and streamline the process of addressing proposed arms sales, ensuring that such matters receive timely attention from Congress. The amendments take effect immediately upon enactment.
Possible Impacts
The "Arms Sale Oversight Act," as outlined in the legislation, could affect people in several ways:
1. **Increased Congressional Oversight**: The modification of expedited procedures means that proposed arms sales will face more scrutiny from Congress. This could lead to greater public awareness and debate over specific sales, potentially influencing public opinion and activism regarding foreign military engagements and arms exports. Individuals concerned about military spending or ethical implications of arms sales may feel more empowered to engage with their representatives.
2. **Impact on Foreign Relations**: Changes in how quickly Congress can act on arms sales might affect international relations. Countries relying on U.S. arms sales may experience delays, which could lead to tensions or affect military collaboration. Citizens in countries receiving these arms may feel the impact directly, particularly if the sales are tied to sensitive political situations or conflicts.
3. **Defense Industry Effects**: The defense contractors and companies involved in arms manufacturing may face uncertainties due to the changes in procedure for sales approval. This could impact jobs and the local economy in areas dependent on defense contracts. Employees and stakeholders in these industries may experience job security concerns or shifts in business strategies as companies adapt to a potentially slower approval process.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6405 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6405
To modify the expedited procedures in the House of Representatives
under section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act with respect to
consideration of joint resolutions prohibiting proposed sales of
defense articles or services, prohibiting proposed licenses for exports
of defense articles or services, and prohibiting approval of United
States commercial technical assistance or manufacturing licensing
agreements.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 3, 2025
Mr. Lieu (for himself, Ms. Jacobs, Ms. Tlaib, and Ms. Omar) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To modify the expedited procedures in the House of Representatives
under section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act with respect to
consideration of joint resolutions prohibiting proposed sales of
defense articles or services, prohibiting proposed licenses for exports
of defense articles or services, and prohibiting approval of United
States commercial technical assistance or manufacturing licensing
agreements.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Arms Sale Oversight Act''.
SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF EXPEDITED PROCEDURES IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES UNDER SECTION 36 OF THE ARMS EXPORT
CONTROL ACT.
(a) In General.--Section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act (22
U.S.C. 2776) is amended as follows:
(1) In subsection (b), by amending paragraph (3) to read as
follows:
``(3) Any such joint resolution shall be considered in the House of
Representatives in accordance with the following:
``(A)(i) If the committee to which a joint resolution with
respect to a proposed sale has been referred has not reported
it at the end of 10 calendar days after its referral, it shall
be in order to move either to discharge the committee from
further consideration of such resolution or to discharge the
committee from further consideration of any other resolution
with respect to such proposed sale which has been referred to
the committee.
``(ii) A motion to discharge may be made only by an
individual favoring the resolution, shall be highly privileged
(except that it may not be made after the committee has
reported a resolution with respect to the same proposed sale),
and debate thereon shall be limited to not more than one hour,
to be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing
the resolution. An amendment to the motion shall not be in
order, and it shall not be in order to move to reconsider the
vote by which the motion was agreed to or disagreed to.
``(iii) If the motion to discharge is agreed to or
disagreed to, the motion may not be renewed, nor may another
motion to discharge the committee be made with respect to any
other resolution with respect to the same proposed sale.
``(B)(i) When the committee has reported, or has been
discharged from further consideration of, a resolution, it
shall be at any time thereafter in order (even though a
previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) to
move to proceed to the consideration of the resolution. The
motion shall be highly privileged and shall not be debatable.
An amendment to the motion shall not be in order, and it shall
not be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the
motion was agreed to or disagreed to.
``(ii) Debate on the resolution referred to in clause (i)
of this subparagraph shall be limited to not more than 10
hours, which shall be divided equally between those favoring
and those opposing such resolution. A motion further to limit
debate shall not be debatable. An amendment to, or motion to
recommit, the resolution shall not be in order, and it shall
not be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which such
resolution was agreed to or disagreed to.
``(C)(i) Motions to postpone, made with respect to the
discharge from committee, or the consideration of a resolution
and motions to proceed to the consideration of other business,
shall be decided without debate.
``(ii) Appeals from the decision of the Chair relating to
the application of the rules of the House of Representatives to
the procedure relating to a resolution shall be decided without
debate.
``(D) Notwithstanding any other provision of this
paragraph, if the House of Representatives has approved a
resolution with respect to a proposed sale, then it shall not
be in order to consider in the House of Representatives any
other resolution with respect to the same such sale.''.
(2) In each of subsections (c)(3)(B) and (d)(5)(B) by
striking ``For the purpose'' and all that follows through
``House of Representatives'' and inserting ``Any such joint
resolution shall be considered in the House of Representatives
in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b)(3) of this
section.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) take
effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and apply with respect
to any joint resolution described in subsection (b)(3), (c)(3)(B), or
(d)(5)(B) of section 36 of the Arms Export Control Act that is
introduced in the House of Representatives or the Senate, as the case
may be, on or after such date of enactment.
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