§331 — Title 10 Armed Forces | U.S. Code

Summary

Allows the Secretary of Defense to give help to friendly foreign countries for certain operations the Secretary picks. The Secretary must name which operations qualify and tell the appropriate congressional committees when an operation is added. Every year the Secretary must review the listed operations and decide whether each one should stay on the list for another year, and must tell those committees if a designation continues. The Secretary needs the Secretary of State’s agreement before giving help. If the United States is not taking part in an operation, the Defense and State Secretaries must jointly certify to Congress that the operation serves U.S. national security, wait 15 days after that certification, and include a report describing the operation, where it is, which countries are involved, what help and for how long, how it supports U.S. security, who the friendly country is fighting and whether those entities are covered by an authorization for the use of military force, plus any other important facts the two secretaries think are relevant. The Secretary cannot provide help that other laws ban. The kinds of help allowed cover five main areas: logistic supplies and services for friendly security forces in joint or U.S.-benefiting operations; logistic help to improve interoperability or to nonmilitary logistics agencies that directly benefit U.S. forces; buying equipment to loan to partner forces in coalition operations; specialized training for partner personnel (including before deployment); and small-scale construction tied to the operation and limited to the operation’s area. If a small construction project will exceed $750,000, the notice to Congress must list the location, project title, cost, provide a Department of Defense Form 1391, and include a local masterplan. Annual limits apply: no more than $450,000,000 in a fiscal year for the logistic, training, and small-construction categories, and no more than $5,000,000 in a fiscal year for the interoperability and nonmilitary logistics support. The phrase “logistic support, supplies, and services” is defined elsewhere in law.

Title 10, §331

Armed Forces — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of Defense may provide support to friendly foreign countries in connection with the conduct of operations designated pursuant to subsection (b).

(b)(1)The Secretary of Defense shall designate the operations for which support may be provided under the authority in subsection (a).

(2)The Secretary shall notify the appropriate committees of Congress of the designation of any operation pursuant to this subsection.

(3)The Secretary shall undertake on an annual basis a review of the operations currently designated pursuant to this subsection in order to determine whether each such operation merits continuing designation for purposes of this section for another year. If the Secretary determines that any operation so reviewed merits continuing designation for purposes of this section for another year, the Secretary—

(A)may continue the designation of such operation under this subsection for such purposes for another year; and

(B)if the Secretary so continues the designation of such operation, shall notify the appropriate committees of Congress of the continuation of designation of such operation.

(c)The types of support that may be provided under the authority in subsection (a) are the following:

(1)Logistic support, supplies, and services to security forces of a friendly foreign country participating in—

(A)an operation with the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense; or

(B)a military or stability operation that benefits the national security interests of the United States.

(2)Logistic support, supplies, and services—

(A)to military forces of a friendly foreign country solely for the purpose of enhancing the interoperability of the logistical support systems of military forces participating in a combined operation with the United States in order to facilitate such operation; or

(B)to a nonmilitary logistics, security, or similar agency of a friendly foreign government if such provision would directly benefit the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense.

(3)Procurement of equipment for the purpose of the loan of such equipment to the military forces of a friendly foreign country participating in a United States-supported coalition or combined operation and the loan of such equipment to those forces to enhance capabilities or to increase interoperability with the armed forces under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of Defense and other coalition partners.

(4)Provision of specialized training to personnel of friendly foreign countries in connection with such an operation, including training of such personnel before deployment in connection with such operation.

(5)Small-scale construction to support military forces of a friendly foreign country participating in a United States-supported coalition or combined operation when the construction is directly linked to the ability of such forces to participate in such operation effectively and is limited to the geographic area where such operation is taking place. In the case of support provided under this paragraph that results in the provision of small-scale construction above $750,000, the notification pursuant to subsection (b)(2) shall include the location, project title, and cost of each such small-scale construction project that will be carried out, a Department of Defense Form 1391 for each such project, and a masterplan of planned infrastructure investments at the location.

(d)(1)The Secretary of Defense may provide support under subsection (a) to a friendly foreign country with respect to an operation in which the United States is not participating only—

(A)if the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State jointly certify to the appropriate committees of Congress that the operation is in the national security interests of the United States; and

(B)after the expiration of the 15-day period beginning on the date of such certification.

(2)Any certification under paragraph (1) shall be accompanied by a report that includes the following:

(A)A description of the operation, including the geographic area of the operation.

(B)A list of participating countries.

(C)A description of the type of support and the duration of support to be provided.

(D)A description of the national security interests of the United States supported by the operation.

(E)A description of each entity with which the applicable friendly foreign country is engaged in hostilities and whether each such entity is covered by an authorization for the use of military force.

(F)Such other matters as the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State consider significant to a consideration of such certification.

(e)The provision of support under subsection (a) may be made only with the concurrence of the Secretary of State.

(f)The Secretary of Defense may not use the authority in subsection (a) to provide any type of support described in subsection (c) that is otherwise prohibited by any provision of law.

(g)(1)The aggregate value of all logistic support, supplies, and services provided under paragraphs (1), (4), and (5) of subsection (c) in any fiscal year may not exceed $450,000,000.

(2)The aggregate value of all logistic support, supplies, and services provided under subsection (c)(2) in any fiscal year may not exceed $5,000,000.

(h)In this section, the term “logistic support, supplies, and services” has the meaning given that term in section 2350(1) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 331 was renumbered section 251 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (d)(2)(E), (F). Pub. L. 117–263 added subpar. (E) and redesignated former subpar. (E) as (F). 2018—Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 115–232 inserted at end “In the case of support provided under this paragraph that results in the provision of small-scale

Construction

above $750,000, the notification pursuant to subsection (b)(2) shall include the location, project title, and cost of each such small-scale

Construction

project that will be carried out, a Department of Defense Form 1391 for each such project, and a masterplan of planned infrastructure investments at the location.” 2016—Pub. L. 114–328 renumbered section 127d of this title as this section and amended it generally. Prior to amendment, section related to authority to provide logistic support, supplies, and services to allied forces participating in combined operations. 2011—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–383, § 1202(a), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted “of the United States” after “armed forces”, struck out “Provision of such support, supplies, and services to the forces of an allied nation may be made only with the concurrence of the Secretary of State.” at end, and added pars. (2) and (3). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 111–383, § 1202(b)(1), substituted “subsection (a)(1)” for “subsection (a)” in par. (1) and in introductory provisions of par. (2). Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 111–383, § 1202(b)(2)(A), substituted “The” for “Except as provided in paragraph (2), the” and “subsection (a)(1)” for “this section”. Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 111–383, § 1202(b)(2)(B), substituted “The value of the logistic support, supplies, and services provided under subsection (a)(2) in any fiscal year may not” for “In addition to any logistic support, supplies, and services provided under subsection (a) that are covered by paragraph (1), the value of logistic support, supplies, and services provided under this section solely for the purposes of enhancing the interoperability of the logistical support systems of military forces participating in combined operation of the United States in order to facilitate such operations may not, in any fiscal year,”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 111–383, § 1075(b)(3), substituted “Committee on Foreign Affairs” for “Committee on International Relations”. 2008—Pub. L. 110–181 renumbered section 127c of this title, relating to allied forces participating in combined operations, as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Support for Execution of Bilateral Agreements Concerning Illicit Transnational Maritime Activity Pub. L. 118–31, div. A, title XVIII, § 1808, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 688, as amended by Pub. L. 118–159, div. A, title XII, § 1201(b), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2093, provided that: “(a) In General.—The Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Commandant of the Coast Guard, and in consultation with the Secretary of State, may provide assistance to the Coast Guard for the execution of existing maritime law

Enforcement

agreements between the United States and friendly countries that were established to combat transnational organized illegal maritime activity, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. “(b) Effect on Military Training and Readiness.—The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the provision of assistance under this section does not negatively affect military training, operations, readiness, or other military requirements. “(c) Funds.—If the Secretary of Defense provides assistance under subsection (a) during any fiscal year, the Secretary shall provide such assistance using amounts available for that fiscal year for the Department of Defense for operation and maintenance. “(d) Assistance Defined.—In this section, the term ‘assistance’ means any of the following:“(1) The use of surface and air assets as bases of operations and information collection platforms. “(2) Communication infrastructure. “(3) Information sharing. “(4) The provision of logistic support, supplies, and services (as such term is defined in section 2350 of title 10, United States Code).”

§331 Friendly Foreign Countries: Authority to Provide Support for Conduct of Operations

Summary

Title 10, §331

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Amendments

Construction

Construction

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Enforcement

Citations & Metadata