Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2006: A Fact Sheet on Department of Defense Authority to Train and Equip Foreign Military Forces

Section 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2006 provides the Secretary of Defense with authority to train and equip foreign military and foreign maritime security forces. The Department of Defense (DOD) values this authority as an important tool to train and equip military partners. Funds may be obligated only with the concurrence of the Secretary of State. Thus far, the Department of Defense (DOD) has used Section 1206 authority primarily to provide counterterrorism support. This authority expires in FY2011. Section 1206 obligations totaled some $100 million in FY2006, $279 million in FY2007, and $293 million in FY2008. As of early July 2009, FY2009 project approvals are being finalized. As of the date of this report, of FY2009 funds, only $49.3 million has been approved and obligated, according to information provided by the Office of the Secretary of Defense. This amount is funding two programs in Lebanon. The current spending cap on Section 1206 funding is $350 million. For FY2010, DOD requested a $400 million appropriation for Section 1206 programs. In their respective versions of the FY2010 NDAA (H.R. 2647, reported June 18, and S. 1390, reported July 2, respectively), neither of the armed services committees are inclined, however, to once again raise the authorized limit from its current $350 million level. In fact, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) proposes a sharp reduction, to $75 million, for FY2010 and FY2011. CRS Report for Congress