Arms Export Control Act

Arms Export Control Act

Other short titles	Arms Export Control Act of 1976
Long title	An Act to amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 and the Foreign Military Sales Act, and for other purposes.
Nicknames	International Security Assistance and Arms Exports Control Act
Enacted by	the 94th United States Congress
Effective	June 30, 1976
Citations
Public law	94-329
Statutes at Large	90 Stat. 729
Codification
Titles amended	22 U.S.C.: Foreign Relations and Intercourse
U.S.C. sections created	22 U.S.C. ch. 39 § 2751
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 13680 by Thomas E. Morgan (D–PA) on May 11, 1976 Committee consideration by House International Relations Passed the House on June 2, 1976 (255–140) Passed the Senate on June 14, 1976 (62–18, in lieu of S. 3439) Reported by the joint conference committee on June 16, 1976; agreed to by the House on June 22, 1976 (258–146) and by the Senate on June 25, 1976 (agreed) Signed into law by President Gerald Ford on June 30, 1976

The Arms Export Control Act of 1976 (Title II of Pub.L. 94–329, 90 Stat. 729, enacted June 30, 1976, codified at 22 U.S.C. ch. 39) gives the President of the United States the authority to control the import and export of defense articles and defense services. The H.R. 13680 legislation was passed by the 94th Congressional session and enacted into law by the 38th President of the United States Gerald R. Ford on June 30, 1976.

The Act of Congress requires international governments receiving weapons from the United States to use the armaments for legitimate self-defense. Consideration is given as to whether the exports "would contribute to an arms race, aid in the development of weapons of mass destruction, support international terrorism, increase the possibility of outbreak or escalation of conflict, or prejudice the development of bilateral or multilateral arms control or nonproliferation agreements or other arrangements." The Act also places certain restrictions on American arms traders and manufacturers, prohibiting them from the sale of certain sensitive technologies to certain parties and requiring thorough documentation of such trades to trusted parties.

When the President is aware of the possibility of violations of the AECA, the law requires a report to Congress on the potential violations.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducts an industry outreach program called the Project Shield America to prevent foreign adversaries, terrorists, and criminal networks from obtaining U.S. munitions and strategic technology.

From 1963 to 1973, 128 nations received $2.5 trillion in weapons and services, the majority from the United States. Law only required that the Secretary of State report “significant” arms sales to Congress, semi-annually. In the early 1970s, legislators moved to become involved in deciding to whom arm sales could be made and under what circumstances. Concern over arms sales increased significantly in the summer of 1973, when news surfaced of a potential Nixon Administration sale of F-4 fighter-bombers to Saudi Arabia.

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