Title 22 › Chapter 39— ARMS EXPORT CONTROL › Subchapter II— FOREIGN MILITARY SALES AUTHORIZATIONS › § 2763
The President can lend money to friendly countries and international groups so they can buy defense equipment, services, and design or construction work. He can also let Israel and Egypt lease (including lease-to-buy) defense items from U.S. commercial sellers instead of using a government-to-government sale, as long as he finds strong foreign policy or security reasons and informs the Appropriations Committees. Repayment must be in U.S. dollars and paid back within 12 years after the U.S. loan agreement is signed, unless a law allows a longer time. The President sets the interest rate, but it cannot be less than 5% per year. Concessional rate of interest means any rate below market. Market rate of interest means a rate equal to or higher than the U.S. Government’s current average rate for similar-term debt (measured the month before financing). Funds can be used to pay existing principal and interest owed on earlier credits or guaranteed loans, but not to prepay them. The Defense Department must audit private firms that use these loans. Any purchase deal over $100,000,000 paid with these funds must be sent to certain congressional committees, and no more than $100,000,000 a year may be used for other countries (not Israel or Egypt) for items not sold by the U.S. Government.
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Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 2763
Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60