H.R. 4413: End the Cyprus Embargo Act

This bill, known as the End the Cyprus Embargo Act, aims to lift certain restrictions on the export, re-export, or transfer of defense articles and defense services to the Republic of Cyprus by the United States. Here are the key points of what the bill proposes:

Short Title

The official name of this legislation is the End the Cyprus Embargo Act.

Sense of Congress

The bill expresses the belief that:

• Allowing arms exports to Cyprus would benefit U.S. security interests in Europe by reducing Cyprus's reliance on potentially adversarial nations for defense.
• Cyprus has successfully met the obligations set by a previous law (the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act of 2019) that would allow for the sale of defense materials.
• It is advantageous for the U.S. to:
• Support United Nations efforts for a solution to the division of Cyprus.
• Strengthen the security relationship between the U.S. and Cyprus.
• Increase military cooperation, particularly training initiatives between the U.S. and Cyprus.
• Facilitate Cyprus's inclusion in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program.

Nonapplicability of a Policy of Denial

Beginning from the date the bill is enacted, the U.S. Secretary of State would no longer apply a denial policy for defense exports to Cyprus if:

• The request for these exports is made by the Government of Cyprus.
• The end-user of the defense articles or services is the Government of Cyprus.

Exceptions to the Policy

• Human Rights Concerns: The export policy would still be subject to denial if there are credible concerns regarding human rights abuses.
• Presidential Waiver: The President may choose to waive the export policy for a year if it is deemed essential to U.S. national security.

Termination of Exclusion

The President has the authority to end this exclusion after five years from the bill's enactment if it is certified that Cyprus has not been cooperating with the U.S. on:

• Anti-money laundering reforms and financial oversight.
• Denying access to its ports for Russian military ships seeking refueling and servicing.

Additionally, the term 'appropriate congressional committees' refers to specific committees in both the House and Senate involved in foreign affairs and armed services.

Relevant Companies

• None found

This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.