U.S. CODE

U.S. Code

§ 2779. Fees of military sales agents

(a) Adequate and timely reports to Secretary of State; maintenance of records

In accordance with such regulations as he may prescribe, the Secretary of State shall require adequate and timely reporting on political contributions, gifts, commissions and fees paid, or offered or agreed to be paid, by any person in connection with—

(1) sales of defense articles or defense services under section 2762 of this title, or of design and construction services under section 2769 of this title; or

(2) commercial sales of defense articles or defense services licensed or approved under section 2778 of this title;

to or for the armed forces of a foreign country or international organization in order to solicit, promote, or otherwise to secure the conclusion of such sales. Such regulations shall specify the amounts and the kinds of payments, offers, and agreements to be reported, and the form and timing of reports, and shall require reports on the names of sales agents and other persons receiving such payments. The Secretary of State shall by regulation require such recordkeeping as he determines is necessary.

(b) Presidential regulation

The President may, by regulation, prohibit, limit, or prescribe conditions with respect to such contributions, gifts, commissions, and fees as he determines will be in furtherance of the purposes of this chapter.

No such contribution, gift, commission, or fee may be included, in whole or in part, in the amount paid under any procurement contract entered into under section 2762 or section 2769 of this title, unless the amount thereof is reasonable, allocable to such contract, and not made to a person who has solicited, promoted, or otherwise secured such sale, or has held himself out as being able to do so, through improper influence. For the purposes of this section, “improper influence” means influence, direct or indirect, which induces or attempts to induce consideration or action by any employee or officer of a purchasing foreign government or international organization with respect to such purchase on any basis other than such consideration of merit as are involved in comparable United States procurements.

(d) Availability of records to Congress and Federal agencies

(1) All information reported to the Secretary of State and all records maintained by any person pursuant to regulations prescribed under this section shall be available, upon request, to any standing committee of the Congress or any subcommittee thereof and to any agency of the United States Government authorized by law to have access to the books and records of the person required to submit reports or to maintain records under this section.

(2) Access by an agency of the United States Government to records maintained under this section shall be on the same terms and conditions which govern the access by such agency to the books and records of the person concerned.

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