H.R. 298 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Jan 9, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRemoves restrictions on Cyprus defense aid
This bill removes certain requirements that the President had to meet before sending military equipment and security assistance to Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey. Right now, before transferring defense articles to Cyprus, the President must certify to Congress each year that Cyprus is taking action against money laundering and financial crime, and is not allowing Russian military vessels to refuel there. The bill also removes requirements that the President certify certain principles about security assistance to Greece and Turkey, such as that the aid is for defensive purposes only.
How it affects you
This mainly affects how the federal government handles military support to these three countries. Most Americans won't notice a direct change in their daily lives, but it does shift the process by removing certain oversight steps that Congress previously required before such assistance could be provided.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jan 9, 2025)
This bill eliminates certain statutory restrictions on U.S. security assistance to Cyprus, Greece, and Turkey.
For example, the bill eliminates requirements that the President
• as a condition of transferring defense articles to Cyprus, annually certify to Congress that Cyprus is taking certain actions with regards to money laundering, financial regulatory oversight, and denying refueling and servicing to Russian military vessels; and
• when requesting certain security assistance funds from Congress for Greece and Turkey, certify that providing such assistance is compatible with specified principles that support U.S. policy in the region (e.g., that such security assistance is intended solely for defensive purposes and preserves the balance of military strength among countries of the region).
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 298
A BILL
To eliminate certain limitations and exclusions regarding defense articles and requirements regarding security assistance and sales with respect to the Republic of Cyprus.
Sponsor: Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) · Introduced Jan 9, 2025 · International Affairs · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jan 9, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.”