Congress·In Progress·H.R. 4413

End the Cyprus Embargo Act

Congress moves to lift U.S. defense export denials for Cyprus, with human rights and security checks

Jul 15, 2025·View on Congress.gov·Read full text

This bill is one vehicle in a longer effort. See the full story across every version.View effort →

StalledNext up: A house committeeNo action in 7 months

This bill is currently in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. It has not seen any official action since December 2025, meaning it has been stalled for about seven months. The bill must be reported out of committee before it can move to the full House for a vote.

Legislative Progress

House

No action since December 2025

Senate

President

Law

How we got here

This bill’s path across every version that has carried it.

Reintroduced
Reintroduced from H.R. 8212 (118th), which died when its Congress ended.
H.R. 8212 (118th) →

Key Points

Congress would stop the State Department from automatically denying most U.S. weapons and defense-service exports to Cyprus when Cyprus’s government is the buyer and end user.
The bill keeps a clear exception: the State Department can still deny deals if there are credible human rights concerns tied to the transfer.
Trump would be allowed to pause this new openness for one fiscal year at a time if he decides it’s essential for U.S. national security.
After 5 years, Trump could end (and renew ending) the easier-approval policy if Cyprus stops working with the U.S. on anti–money laundering reforms or allows Russian military ships to refuel or be serviced in its ports.
Day-to-day impact for most Americans is indirect, but it could affect U.S. defense companies’ sales, U.S. military cooperation in the region, and how the U.S. counters Russian influence in Europe.

Foreign PolicyNational SecurityTrade

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(2)

Federal Employee

Neutral

Military Active

Neutral

State Impacts

New JerseyNJ

Mixed

The bill highlights joint training between the Cyprus National Guard and the New Jersey National Guard under the Defense Department’s State Partnership Program. If cooperation expands, New Jersey Guard units may see more exchanges/exercises and related local planning/support activity, but also more time commitments for participating service members.

Milestones

3 milestones4 actions

Dec 3, 2025House

Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 47 - 2.

The committee approved this bill and is sending it to the full chamber for a vote. This is a significant step — most bills never get this far.

Dec 3, 2025House

Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Jul 15, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Jul 15, 2025

Introduced in House

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

Related News

6 articles

Politis·Oct 12, 2025

US Extends Suspension of Cyprus Arms Embargo for Another Year

Reports the State Department extended the ITAR Section 126.1 suspension for FY2026, continuing easier licensing for defense exports to Cyprus—closely related context for the bill’s goal of longer-term certainty.

Parikiaki·Oct 1, 2025

US extends suspension of arms embargo on the Republic of Cyprus for 1 year

Covers the FY2026 extension of the embargo suspension and notes the July 7, 2025 certification; provides operational context for why the bill proposes a five-year renewal window.

Kathimerini (eKathimerini.com)·Jul 16, 2025

Bill proposes 5-year extension of Cyprus arms embargo waiver

Directly covers lawmakers reintroducing the End the Cyprus Embargo Act and its key change: extending the waiver/renewal period from one year to five years.

Center

No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.