Pentagon Backs Contractors to Limit Disclosing Foreign Discounts
- A provision in House defense bill would force more reporting
- Middle East allies saved billions by threats to buy elsewhere
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The Pentagon and major defense contractors are opposing a congressional effort to force more complete disclosure of discounts that are given to foreign governments for weapons purchases at the expense of U.S. taxpayers.
A provision in the House version of the annual defense policy bill would require detailed reporting whenever the Defense Department exempts such foreign military sales from a law that says the buyers should pay a portion of initial development costs for the equipment they buy.