A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the proposed foreign military sale to the Government of the United Arab Emirates of certain defense articles and services.
This is a joint resolution of disapproval that would block a proposed foreign military sale (FMS) to the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The sale, described in Transmittal No. 24-118 and submitted to Congress under the Arms Export Control Act, includes six CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters and a large package of related major defense equipment (MDE) and non-MDE items, along with substantial logistics, training, and support services. If enacted, the resolution would prohibit the President from approving this particular sale. The notice to Congress for the sale was published May 13, 2025, and the joint resolution was introduced in the Senate on May 15, 2025 by Senators Murphy, Van Hollen, Kaine, Sanders, and Schatz, and sent to the Foreign Relations Committee. In short, this bill explicitly blocks a specific UAE weapons deal, reflecting Congress’s authority to veto proposed arms sales to foreign governments. If Congress does not pass and enact the resolution, the sale could proceed under existing law.
Key Points
- 1Prohibition of the specified sale: The joint resolution blocks the sale of defense articles and services described in Transmittal No. 24-118 to the UAE.
- 2What is being sold (Major Defense Equipment and non-MDE items):
- 3- Major Defense Equipment (MDE): 6 CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters with air-to-air refueling capability and extended range fuel tanks; 16 T-55-GA-714A engines (12 installed, 4 spares); 14 embedded GPS/INS devices with M-Code (12 installed, 2 spares); 8 AN/AAR-57 CMWS (6 installed, 2 spares); 20 AN/ARC-231A COMSEC radios (18 installed, 2 spares); 20 M-240 machine guns (18 installed, 2 spares).
- 4- Non-MDE items: Includes CMWS software, AN/APR-39A radar warning receivers, AN/ AVR-2B LASER DETECTING SETS, AN/ARC-220 HF radios, KY-100M CONISEC terminals, aircraft survivability equipment, personnel training, spare parts, and various other equipment and services to support the mission equipment (e.g., site surveys, maintenance, engineering, and logistics).
- 5Legal mechanism and basis: The sale is described as being transmitted under section 36(b)(1) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(b)(1)); the bill uses a congressional disapproval process to prohibit it.
- 6Legislative status and process: Introduced in the Senate on May 15, 2025 by Senators Murphy, Van Hollen, Kaine, Sanders, and Schatz; referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. This is a legislative device to block the sale, not a signed law unless both Houses pass and the President signs (or overrides a veto).
- 7Publication note: The proposed sale notice was published in the Congressional Record on May 13, 2025 as Transmittal No. 24-118.