Guide
When must Congress be notified of an Excess Defense Articles transfer?
A grant or sale of that includes , or articles with an original acquisition cost of $7M or more, must be notified to Congress 30 days before the transfer. prepares the notification. The requirement comes from Section 516(f) of the Foreign Assistance Act and the annual foreign operations appropriations act: a separate statute from the Arms Export Control Act Section 36(b) notification that applies to above set values.
When must Congress be notified of an Excess Defense Articles transfer?
Congressional notification of 30 days prior to the transfer of , whether by sale or grant, is required if the item is categorized as or valued (original acquisition cost) at $7M or more [Section 516(f)(1), ]. Additionally, beginning in 2015, Section 516(g)(1) of the was amended so no more than $500M (current value) in defense articles may be transferred in one as grant , P.L. 113-276, 18 December 2014. Any authorization for the grant transfer of naval vessels generally exempts the value of the transfer from this annual ceiling.
References
SAMM
- SAMM AP8.EDA.5.1
- SAMM AP8.EDA.3.5 — Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
- SAMM AP8.EDA.3.6 — Department of State, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers.
- SAMM AP8.EDA.2.5.4 — Excess Defense Articles for Naval Vessels.
- SAMM AP8.EDA.7.1
Facts referenced
- Excess Defense Articles congressional notification threshold — original acquisition cost at or above which a grant or sale is notified (FAA section 516(f)) — $7M (as of 30 September 2026) — SAMM AP8.EDA.5.1
- Excess Defense Articles congressional notification period (FAA section 516(f)) — grant or sale of SME or above the original-acquisition-cost threshold — 30 days (as of 30 September 2026) — SAMM AP8.EDA.5.1
- Grant Excess Defense Articles — ceiling on the total current value of grant transfers in a fiscal year (FAA section 516(g)) — $500M (as of 30 September 2026) — SAMM AP8.EDA.2.6.6
Related
Excess Defense Articles (EDA)
Defense articles owned by the USG which are neither procured in anticipation of military assistance or sales requirements, nor procured pursuant to a military assistance or sales order. EDA are items (except construction equipment) that are in excess of the Approved Force Acquisition Objective and Approved Force Retention Stock of all DoD components at the time such articles are dropped from inventory by the supplying agency for delivery to countries or international organizations.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Significant Military Equipment (SME)
Defense articles for which special export controls are warranted because of the capacity of such articles for substantial military utility or capability. These items are identified on the U.S. Munitions List in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations by an asterisk preceding the item category listing.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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DSCA — Defense Security Cooperation Agency
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
Glossary entry →Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) →
Foreign Military Sales (FMS)
A process, authorized by the Arms Export Control Act, through which eligible foreign governments and international organizations may purchase defense articles, services, and training from the United States Government.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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EDA — Excess Defense Articles
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
Fiscal Year (FY)
The USG’s accounting period. It begins on October 1 and ends on September 30 and is designated by the calendar year in which it ends.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Defense Article (Foreign Assistance Act; Arms Export Control Act, not including commercial sales subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulation)
Any weapon, weapons system, munition, aircraft, vessel, boat, or other implement of war;
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
Industrial Base
The capability of U.S. industry to respond to the needs of and produce end items for DoD. Also, that part of the total privately-owned and government-owned industrial production and maintenance capacity located in Canada expected to be available during emergencies to manufacture and repair items required by the U.S. military services.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Security Cooperation
Activities undertaken by the DoD to encourage and enable international partners to work with the United States to achieve strategic objectives. It includes all DoD interactions with foreign defense and security establishments, including all DoD-administered security assistance programs, that: build defense and security relationships that promote specific U.S. security interests, including all international armaments cooperation activities and security assistance activities; develop allied and friendly military capabilities for self-defense and multinational operations; and provide U.S. forces with peacetime and contingency access to host nations.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Implementing Agency (IA)
The military department or defense agency responsible for the execution of military assistance programs. With respect to FMS, the military department or defense agency assigned responsibility by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency to prepare an LOA and to implement an FMS case. The implementing agency is responsible for the overall management of the actions that will result in delivery of the materials or services set forth in the LOA that was accepted by a foreign country or international organization.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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Arms Transfers
The sale, lease, loan, or other transfer of defense articles and defense services such as arms, ammunition, and implements of war, including components thereof, and the training, manufacturing licenses, technical assistance, and technical data related thereto, provided by the USG under the authority of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, or the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, or other statutory authority, or directly by commercial firms to foreign countries, foreign private firms, or to international organizations. See also conventional arms transfers.
SAMM Glossary, as of 12 September 2026
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State (PM/RSAT) — Department of State Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026
OUSD(P) — Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy
SAMM Acronyms, as of 12 September 2026