119-hr1158

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1158 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1158

 To provide enhanced authority for the President to enter into 
 agreements with the Government of Ukraine to lend or lease defense 
articles to that Government to protect civilian populations in Ukraine 
 from Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 February 10, 2025

Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Cohen) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To provide enhanced authority for the President to enter into 
 agreements with the Government of Ukraine to lend or lease defense 
articles to that Government to protect civilian populations in Ukraine 
 from Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Freedom First Lend Lease Act''.

SEC. 2. LOAN AND LEASE OF DEFENSE ARTICLES TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF 
 UKRAINE AND EASTERN FLANK COUNTRIES.

    (a) Authority To Lend or Lease Defense Articles to Certain 
Governments.--

    (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (2) , for fiscal years 
 2026 and 2027, the President may authorize the United States 
 Government to lend or lease defense articles to the Government 
 of Ukraine or to governments of Eastern European countries 
 impacted by the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine to 
 help bolster those countries' defense capabilities and protect 
 their civilian populations from potential invasion or ongoing 
 aggression by the armed forces of the Government of the Russian 
 Federation.

    (2) Exclusions.--For the purposes of the authority 
 described in paragraph

    (1) as that authority relates to 
 Ukraine, the following provisions of law shall not apply:
        (A) Section 503

    (b)

    (3) of the Foreign Assistance Act 
 of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2311

    (b)

    (3) ).
        (B) Section 61 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
 U.S.C. 2796).

    (3) Condition.--Any loan or lease of defense articles to 
 the Government of Ukraine under paragraph

    (1) shall be subject 
 to all applicable laws concerning the return of and 
 reimbursement and repayment for defense articles loan or leased 
 to foreign governments.

    (4) Delegation of authority.--The President may delegate 
 the enhanced authority under this subsection only to an 
 official appointed by the President by and with the advice and 
 consent of the Senate.

    (b) Procedures for Delivery of Defense Articles.--Not later than 60 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall 
establish expedited procedures for the delivery of any defense article 
loaned or leased to the Government of Ukraine under an agreement 
entered into under subsection

    (a) to ensure timely delivery of the 
article to that Government.
            (c) Definition of Defense Article.--In this Act, the term ``defense 
article'' has the meaning given that term in 

section 47 of the Arms 
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2794).
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