S. 2642: Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Seized Iranian Arms Transfer Authorization Act of 2025, seeks to provide the President of the United States with specific powers regarding military materials seized in transit from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen. Below is a summary of the key components of the bill:

Authorization to Treat Seized Items as U.S. Stocks

The bill authorizes the President to classify any weapons or military items that the United States seizes while they are being transported from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen as "stocks of the United States." This means that these items would be considered as belonging to the U.S. and can be managed accordingly.

Drawdown Authority Expanded

The bill also amends existing laws to expand the President's authority under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. It allows the President to direct the use of these seized weapons and materials by designating them as part of the U.S. military inventory. This means the U.S. can provide these items to foreign partners, enhancing military cooperation or assistance to allied countries.

Reporting Requirements

Under this bill, the President is required to report to Congress about the use of this authority. The report must include:

• The number of times the authority to treat seized items as U.S. stocks has been exercised.
• An inventory of the weapons and materials classified as United States stocks due to this authority.
• An inventory of the weapons and materials that have been provided to foreign partners under the new provisions.

This reporting is mandated to be done no later than 180 days after the bill is enacted, and then annually thereafter.

Definition of Appropriate Committees

The bill defines the "appropriate committees of Congress" that will be receiving these reports, which include:

• The Senate Committee on Armed Services and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
• The House Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Overall Objective

The overall goal of this legislation is to streamline the process by which the U.S. can manage and utilize military resources that are intercepted from Iranian transit to the Houthis, thereby enhancing the ability to support allies and counter threats in the region.

Relevant Companies

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