Statement of Administration Policy: S.J. Res. 37 - Providing for Congressional Disapproval of the Proposed Export to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France of Certain Defense Articles and Services

(House)
(Sen. Menendez, D-NJ, and seven cosponsors)

The Administration strongly opposes passage of S.J. Res. 37, a joint resolution disapproving the issuance of an export license for certain defense articles, defense services, and technical data to support the transfer of Paveway II kits to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Republic of France.

The transfer of Paveway precision-guided capability to the UAE directly supports the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a friendly country that continues to be an important force for political and economic stability in the Middle East. Apart from negatively affecting our bilateral relationship with the UAE, the joint resolution would hamper our ability to sustain and shape critical security cooperation activities and would significantly hinder the military interoperability of our two nations.

Additionally, S.J. Res. 37 would impede the UAE's ability to deter and defend against Iranian military aggression. As a key partner in the region, the UAE serves as a bulwark against the malign activities of Iran and its proxies and is an active partner in combatting terrorism in Yemen and elsewhere in the region. Passage of the joint resolution would signal that the United States is willing to abandon its partners and allies at a time when regional threats are increasing daily.

The United States has undertaken many actions to help the Coalition mitigate the risk of civilian casualties in Yemen, including training and advising to improve its targeting processes. Combined with this assistance, the provision of precision-guided munitions would further help the Coalition mitigate the risk of civilian casualties.

In addition to the joint resolution's adverse effects on our partnership with the UAE, it would also negatively affect our NATO Allies and the transatlantic defense industry. Legislation like S.J. Res. 37 could, without further examination, have unintended consequences for defense procurement and interoperability between the United States and our partners, and could create diplomatic and security opportunities for our adversaries to exploit.

If the President were presented with S.J. Res. 37, his advisors would recommend he veto it.