McCaul bill aids NATO allies in buying American weapons

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) is cosponsoring bipartisan legislation that would provide financial lending mechanisms to assist North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies in modernizing their military forces to help them replace obsolete Soviet equipment.

Rep. McCaul on June 11 introduced the NATO Defense Financing Act, H.R. 3194, with lead sponsor U.S. Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), who are ranking member and chairman, respectively, of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee.

The bill is scheduled for markup by the full committee on June 20, according to a notice from the committee.

“This important legislation will allow for the United States to provide our allies with loans so they can replace their archaic Soviet-style military equipment with updated systems that are consistent with NATO’s operational capabilities and move away from acquiring arms from China and Russia,” Rep. McCaul said on Monday.

If enacted, H.R. 3194 would express that it is U.S. policy to assist NATO allies in deploying modern, NATO interoperable equipment.

“At a time when Vladimir Putin continues his malign efforts throughout Europe and the world, we must support our NATO allies to defend themselves from this resurgent Russia,” said Rep. McCaul. “This bill will make American industry more competitive abroad while simultaneously aligning our allies’ defense systems with those of the United States and the rest of NATO.”

H.R. 3294 also would authorize the president, acting through the U.S. Secretary of State, to make direct loans under the Arms Export Control Act to NATO member countries that joined the alliance after March 1, 1999, among other provisions.