Official Summaries

Freedom First Lend Lease Act

This bill temporarily waives certain requirements related to the President's authority to lend or lease defense articles if the defense articles are intended for Ukraine's government or the governments of other Eastern European countries affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

For FY2026 and FY2027, an agreement to lend or lease defense articles under this bill shall not be subject to certain requirements and provisions that typically apply to such lend-lease agreements, including a requirement that generally prohibits a loan or lease period from exceeding five years.

The President must establish expedited procedures to ensure the timely delivery of defense articles loaned or leased to Ukraine under this bill. Laws concerning the return of, reimbursement, and repayment for defense articles loaned or leased to foreign governments shall apply to any loan or lease to Ukraine.

Current Full Text

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1158 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1158

     To provide enhanced authority for the President to enter into 
  agreements with the Government of Ukraine to lend or lease defense 
articles to that Government to protect civilian populations in Ukraine 
        from Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 2025

Mr. Wilson of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Cohen) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To provide enhanced authority for the President to enter into 
  agreements with the Government of Ukraine to lend or lease defense 
articles to that Government to protect civilian populations in Ukraine 
        from Russian military invasion, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Freedom First Lend Lease Act''.

SEC. 2. LOAN AND LEASE OF DEFENSE ARTICLES TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF 
              UKRAINE AND EASTERN FLANK COUNTRIES.

    (a) Authority To Lend or Lease Defense Articles to Certain 
Governments.--
            (1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for fiscal years 
        2026 and 2027, the President may authorize the United States 
        Government to lend or lease defense articles to the Government 
        of Ukraine or to governments of Eastern European countries 
        impacted by the Russian Federation's invasion of Ukraine to 
        help bolster those countries' defense capabilities and protect 
        their civilian populations from potential invasion or ongoing 
        aggression by the armed forces of the Government of the Russian 
        Federation.
            (2) Exclusions.--For the purposes of the authority 
        described in paragraph (1) as that authority relates to 
        Ukraine, the following provisions of law shall not apply:
                    (A) Section 503(b)(3) of the Foreign Assistance Act 
                of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2311(b)(3)).
                    (B) Section 61 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
                U.S.C. 2796).
            (3) Condition.--Any loan or lease of defense articles to 
        the Government of Ukraine under paragraph (1) shall be subject 
        to all applicable laws concerning the return of and 
        reimbursement and repayment for defense articles loan or leased 
        to foreign governments.
            (4) Delegation of authority.--The President may delegate 
        the enhanced authority under this subsection only to an 
        official appointed by the President by and with the advice and 
        consent of the Senate.
    (b) Procedures for Delivery of Defense Articles.--Not later than 60 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall 
establish expedited procedures for the delivery of any defense article 
loaned or leased to the Government of Ukraine under an agreement 
entered into under subsection (a) to ensure timely delivery of the 
article to that Government.
    (c) Definition of Defense Article.--In this Act, the term ``defense 
article'' has the meaning given that term in section 47 of the Arms 
Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2794).
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