Train and Equip Program for Syria: Authorities, Funding, and Issues for Congress

Abstract

In 2014, Congress for the first time provided the President with authority and funds to overtly train and lethally equip vetted members of the Syrian opposition for select purposes. These purposes include supporting U.S. efforts to combat the Islamic State and other terrorist organizations in Syria and setting the conditions for a negotiated settlement to Syria s civil war. The FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA, P.L. 113-291) and the FY2015 Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235) provided that up to $500 million could be transferred from the newly-established Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund (CTPF) to train and equip such Syrian forces. Additional funding could be provided from other sources for the Syrian Train and Equip Program, including from foreign contributions, subject to the approval of the congressional defense committees. As of June 2015, the defense committees have approved the transfer of $500 million in FY2015 CTPF funds for the program and an additional $80 million in Defense Working Capital Funds for related U.S. government operations. Several hundred U.S. military training personnel and a similar number of support personnel have deployed in support of the program. According to Administration officials, the intention is for the program to field a force of approximately 3,000 vetted Syrians in 2015 and 5,400 others per year in 2016 and, if authorized, in 2017. The authority provided in the FY2015 NDAA expires after December 31, 2016. In FY2016, the Administration is requesting $600 million in a new, separate Syria Train and Equip account that, if authorized and appropriated as requested, would not require advance notification and approval by the four defense committees.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 09, 2015
Accession Number
ADA622754

Entities

People

  • Amy Belasco
  • Christopher M. Blanchard

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Congress
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Defense Systems
  • Department Of Defense
  • Department Of State
  • Foreign Relations
  • Government (Foreign)
  • Governments
  • Law
  • Military Operations
  • Military Training
  • National Security
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.