House Passes Rep. Van Epps’ Major Non-NATO Ally Terror Threat Assessment Act
Washington, D.C.- Today, the House of Representatives passed Rep. Van Epps’ (TN07) Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA)Terror Threat Assessment Act.
Upon passage of the bill, Rep. Van Epps stated, “I am grateful my Major Non-NATO Ally Terror Threat Assessment Act passed the House of Representatives today. When the United States designates a nation as a Major non-NATO ally, it's a significant move. Giving a country MNNA status is not merely symbolic; it comes with practical benefits, but also risks. This legislation strengthens coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and Congress to better assess and support MNNA partners as they confront terrorist threats within their own borders. This will ensure Congress has the information it needs to provide effective oversight as a partner with this administration.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 8168, the Major Non-Nato Ally Terror Threat Assessment Act.
When the United States designates a nation as a Major non-NATO ally, it comes with security cooperation and possible trade deals for defense equipment. This is an important designation that our nation does not grant lightly.
However, we cannot ignore the fact that foreign terrorist organizations continue to operate in or around some MNNA countries, creating threats that could have serious consequences for U.S. national security. For that reason, it's critical for Congress to have a full picture of the terrorist organizations that may be operating within our partner nations.
And that’s why I introduced this legislation.
My bill strengthens coordination between the Department of Homeland Security and Congress to better assess and support MNNA partners as they confront threats within their own borders. It requires the department to provide Congress with a comprehensive assessment identifying foreign terrorist organizations operating within MNNA countries, as well as each partner’s capacity to counter those threats.
These partnerships are important, but we must also protect our own national security.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this bill and yield back.”
Read the bill here.
Read the one-pager here.
Read Rep. Van Epps’ original press release here.
Read about the bill’s passage throughout committee markup here or watch his remarks here.
Background:
The MNNA designation is linked to provisions of the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act. Over time, limited oversight of the MNNA program has created a gap where U.S.-designated terrorist organizations are present in, or operating from, MNNA countries. This bill addresses this gap by providing Congress with regular visibility into where these groups operate, how they function, how partner governments are responding, and whether the United States has the capabilities and resources needed to help our partners mitigate threats before they reach the homeland. There are currently 20 countries designated as MNNAs plus one unofficial designation (Taiwan).