§2350m Participation in European Program on Multilateral Exchange of Surface Transportation Services

Summary

The Secretary of Defense, if the Secretary of State agrees, may let the Department of Defense join the Surface Exchange of Services program (SEOS) run by the Movement Coordination Centre Europe. Participation can include swapping or transferring surface transportation on a reimbursable basis, by replacement-in-kind, or by exchanging services of equal value. Any participation must be written down in an agreement between the Secretary of Defense (with the Secretary of State’s agreement) and the Movement Coordination Centre Europe, and Congress’s defense committees must be told about any such agreement. If DoD facilities, equipment, or money are used, the agreement must explain any fair cost-sharing. Any credits or debts from unequal exchanges must be settled through the SEOS program at least once every five years. The Secretary of Defense may pay DoD’s fair share of SEOS operating costs from operation and maintenance funds and may assign service members or DoD civilians, using billets already authorized for U.S. European Command, to work at the Movement Coordination Centre Europe. Money DoD gets from SEOS can be put back into the account that paid the expense or another appropriate current account. Not later than 30 days after each fiscal year that this authority is in effect, the Secretary must report to the congressional defense committees on DoD’s SEOS participation, including the costs DoD paid and any amounts received and the country of origin. Nothing here allows use of foreign sealift in a way that would violate section 2631.