[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 372 Engrossed in House (EH)]
<DOC>
H. Res. 372
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
June 10, 2019.
Whereas the United States and Turkey have been treaty allies since 1952, when
Turkey became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
Whereas the United States and Turkey are treaty bound to safeguard the
principles of democracy, individual liberty, and the rule of law, as
well as to unite their efforts for collective defense and the
preservation of peace and security;
Whereas Turkey is in a unique geostrategic position on NATO's southeastern
flank, at the confluence of Europe, Russia, the Middle East, and the
Caucasus;
Whereas Turkey is a critical NATO ally and important military partner for the
United States, contributing to key NATO and United States missions and
providing support for United States military operations and logistics
needs;
Whereas Turkey permits United States military access to Turkish territorial
waters, airspace, and base and port facilities, and hosts over 2,000
members of the United States Armed Forces, air defense equipment, and
other equipment necessary to conduct global operations and power
projection;
Whereas Turkey is a key player in the long-term strategic competition Western
allies face with revisionist powers such as Russia and China;
Whereas despite the fact that Turkey shares key regional interests with the
United States, its cooperation with Russia and Iran, its military
occupation of northern Cyprus, its rollback of democratic norms and
institutions, including attacks on the free press, and its continued
unjust detention of United States citizens and locally employed United
States Embassy staff is deeply problematic for the United States-Turkey
relationship;
Whereas the United States recognizes that Turkey perceives growing regional
security threats from aircraft and ballistic missiles and sees an urgent
need for a new air and missile defense system;
Whereas Turkey announced an agreement to acquire the S-400 air and missile
defense system from Russia in July 2017 and has publicly stated it could
take delivery as early as July 2019;
Whereas section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions
Act of 2017 (CAATSA) requires the President to impose sanctions on any
individual or entity that engages in a significant transaction with the
Russian defense or intelligence sector;
Whereas the United States Government has developed an attractive alternative
offer to provide Turkey with a strong, capable, NATO-interoperable air
and missile defense system that meets Turkey's defense requirements;
Whereas Turkey's planned acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 undermines the
security of the United States and NATO allies, weakens the United
States-Turkey relationship, and is incompatible with Turkey's plan to
operate the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and participate in F-35
production;
Whereas the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is the world's leading 5th
generation fighter aircraft program with more than a trillion dollars in
investment among United States and international partners;
Whereas Turkey has been a critical partner in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
program since 2002, with significant industrial participation, including
manufacturing of certain F-35 components, plans to host a maintenance
facility for regional F-35 operators, investments of more than $1.25
billion in the program, and plans to procure 100 F-35As; and
Whereas in addition to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Turkish defense
acquisition programs that could be affected by sanctions include the
Patriot air and missile defense system, CH-47F Chinook heavy lift
helicopter, UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter, and F-16 Fighting
Falcon aircraft: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) fully supports the United States Government's January 2019 offer
to sell the Patriot air and missile defense systems to Turkey, with the
condition that Turkey not acquire the S-400 air and missile defense
system from Russia;
(2) condemns the Government of Turkey's stated decision to acquire
the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system, which would endanger
the integrity of the United States-Turkey alliance and undermine NATO;
(3) calls for terminating Turkey's participation in the F-35
industrial program and delivery of F-35 aircraft to Turkey if Turkey
acquires the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system;
(4) declares that Turkish acquisition of the Russian S-400 air and
missile defense system would constitute a significant transaction within
the meaning of section 231 of the Countering America's Adversaries
Through Sanctions Act of 2017 (22 U.S.C. 9525);
(5) calls for full implementation of sanctions under the Countering
America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act of 2017 if Turkey acquires
the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system; and
(6) calls on the Government of Turkey to cancel the acquisition of
the Russian S-400 air and missile defense system.
Attest:
Clerk.
Expressing concern for the United States-Turkey alliance.
#372 | HRES Congress #116
Policy Area: International Affairs
Last Action: On motion to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H4378-4379) (6/10/2019)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text