Sponsors
The bill strengthens Congressional oversight and transparency of foreign basing agreements but does so by restricting executive flexibility and speed in negotiation, which could impede rapid security responses and create diplomatic or economic costs.
Federal agencies and Congress: agencies cannot spend money to alter the basing agreement without Senate approval, and the bill requires classified and unclassified reports to relevant committees, increasing Congressional oversight and public accountability for foreign‑basing agreements.
Military personnel and defense planners: the President must provide a national security rationale and a risks analysis before negotiations, improving transparency about impacts to U.S. operations (e.g., Diego Garcia) and informing oversight.
Military personnel and federal negotiators: the bill makes it harder and slower for the executive branch to negotiate or rapidly adjust strategic basing agreements and imposes pre‑negotiation reporting and Congressional gatekeeping, constraining diplomatic flexibility and potentially delaying responses to changing security needs.
U.S. taxpayers and diplomatic partners: delays or reduced flexibility in negotiations could increase diplomatic friction with the UK or other partners and impose economic or strategic costs borne by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 6 sections of legislative text.
Requires Senate advice and consent and presidential reporting before modifying the 1966 Diego Garcia agreement, and bars federal spending to implement changes without Senate consent.
Introduced March 5, 2026 by John Neely Kennedy · Last progress March 5, 2026
Makes it illegal for federal departments or agencies to spend money to carry out any change to the 1966 agreement on the British Indian Ocean Territory unless the U.S. Senate gives advice and consent. Before the President begins negotiations to modify that agreement, the executive must send classified and unclassified reports to specified Senate committees explaining the national security reasons, effects on U.S. operational control of Diego Garcia, and risks from third-party claims or foreign military presence.