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119-hr-4502119th Congress

Silver Shield Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Representative Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would create a Silver Shield program to monitor the end-use of U.S. defense articles and services to detect civilian harm and violations of international law. It would be housed in the State Department and use a cross-agency system to assess credible information, require formal ineligibility findings under the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), and update policy and practice accordingly.

Show full summary
  • Civilians in conflict zones: The program would assess reports and evidence to determine whether U.S.-origin weapons or services caused civilian harm and whether acts meet standards like genocide, crimes against humanity, or grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions.
  • U.S. exporters and partners: If violations are affirmed the bill would require an ineligibility determination under AECA section 3, and agencies would have 180 days to reach those determinations.
  • Federal investigators and policymakers: The State Department, Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Defense Department offices, and others would share embassy reports, satellite imagery, forensic data, NGO and media reports, and consult an External Advisory Board of academic and NGO experts to guide investigations and policy updates.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

New monitoring of U.S.-supplied weapons

If enacted, the State Department would set up the Silver Shield program within one year. It would track how U.S.-supplied weapons and services are used overseas. It would gather reports, photos, videos, satellite images, and do site visits, and use a public portal. If credible evidence shows serious law-of-war or human-rights crimes, the U.S. would move toward finding the recipient ineligible for future transfers, with 180 days to decide. State and Defense would update their policies to match, and the program would consult outside experts and an advisory board.

Stricter rules for foreign arms buyers

If enacted, the U.S. would tighten who can receive its arms and training. Before any sale or export, the Secretary of State would get written promises that items will not be used to harm civilians or break humanitarian or human-rights law. If the end-user unit is not yet known for Leahy vetting, the agreement would include a list of units barred from getting the items. The bill would also require that U.S. aid support legitimate internal security and promote civilian safety. These changes would take effect one year after enactment.

Funding plan for Silver Shield program

If enacted, Silver Shield costs could be paid from Foreign Military Financing accounts and from new appropriations of "such sums as necessary." The program would also count as an administrative service under Foreign Military Sales, allowing funding through the FMS administrative surcharge. That surcharge would raise costs for foreign buyers, not U.S. households. These funding rules would take effect upon enactment.

Regular reports on costs and investigations

If enacted, the Secretary of State would report to Congress within 180 days on the staff, money, and authorities the program needs. Within one year after the program starts, and every year after, the President would send an annual report. The report would show costs, staffing, resource gaps, the number of monitoring activities, incidents not yet investigated, and the status of ongoing probes, including any stage lasting more than one year.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51]

CA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]

    PA • D

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Rep. Castro, Joaquin [D-TX-20]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 7/17/2025

  • Rep. Randall, Emily [D-WA-6]

    WA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Rep. Liccardo, Sam T. [D-CA-16]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Rep. Thompson, Mike [D-CA-4]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 9/2/2025

  • Rep. Moore, Gwen [D-WI-4]

    WI • D

    Sponsored 10/21/2025

  • Rep. Min, Dave [D-CA-47]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 11/18/2025

  • Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]

    MA • D

    Sponsored 11/20/2025

  • Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]

    MI • D

    Sponsored 4/2/2026

  • Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 8/3/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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