((a)) ** Financing procurement of defense articles and services, and design and construction services** The President is authorized to finance the procurement of defense articles, defense services, and design and construction services by friendly foreign countries and international organizations, on such terms and conditions as he may determine consistent with the requirements of this section. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and subject to the regular notification requirements of the Committees on Appropriations, the authority of this section may be used to provide financing to Israel and Egypt for the procurement by leasing (including leasing with an option to purchase) of defense articles from United States commercial suppliers, not including Major Defense Equipment (other than helicopters and other types of aircraft having possible civilian application), if the President determines that there are compelling foreign policy or national security reasons for those defense articles being provided by commercial lease rather than by government-to-government sale under this chapter.

((b)) ** Repayment period** The President shall require repayment in United States dollars within a period not to exceed twelve years after the loan agreement with the country or international organization is signed on behalf of the United States Government, unless a longer period is specifically authorized by statute for that country or international organization.

((c)) ** Interest rate; definitions**

((1)) The President shall charge interest under this section at such rate as he may determine, except that such rate may not be less than 5 percent per year.

((2)) For purposes of financing provided under this section—

((A)) the term “concessional rate of interest” means any rate of interest which is less than market rates of interest; and

((B)) the term “market rate of interest” means any rate of interest which is equal to or greater than the current average interest rate (as of the last day of the month preceding the financing of the procurement under this section) that the United States Government pays on outstanding marketable obligations of comparable maturity.

((d)) ** Participations in credits** References in any law to credits extended under this section shall be deemed to include reference to participations in credits.

((e)) ** Payments on account of prior credits or loans**

((1)) Funds made available to carry out this section may be used by a foreign country to make payments of principal and interest which it owes to the United States Government on account of credits previously extended under this section or loans previously guaranteed under , subject to paragraph (2).

((2)) Funds made available to carry out this section may not be used for prepayment of principal or interest pursuant to the authority of paragraph (1).

((f)) ** Audit of certain private firms** For each fiscal year, the Secretary of Defense, as requested by the Director of the Defense Security Assistance Agency, shall conduct audits on a nonreimbursable basis of private firms that have entered into contracts with foreign governments under which defense articles, defense services, or design and construction services are to be procured by such firms for such governments from financing under this section.

((g)) ** Notification requirements with respect to cash flow financing**

((1)) For each country and international organization that has been approved for cash flow financing under this section, any letter of offer and acceptance or other purchase agreement, or any amendment thereto, for a procurement of defense articles, defense services, or design and construction services in excess of $100,000,000 that is to be financed in whole or in part with funds made available under this chapter or the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [ et seq.] shall be submitted to the congressional committees specified in section 634A(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [] in accordance with the procedures applicable to reprogramming notifications under that section.

((2)) For purposes of this subsection, the term “cash flow financing” has the meaning given such term in subsection (d) of .

((h)) ** Limitation on use of funds for direct commercial contracts** Of the amounts made available for a fiscal year to carry out this section, not more than $100,000,000 for such fiscal year may be made available for countries other than Israel and Egypt for the purpose of financing the procurement of defense articles, defense services, and design and construction services that are not sold by the United States Government under this chapter.