1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov March 2, 2020Transfer of Defense Articles: Direct Commercial Sales (DCS)United States firms received licenses to export more than $136 billion of defense articles and services in FY 2018 directly to eligible foreign entities, be they governments, corporations, or indi
2、viduals. Such transactions are conducted as Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), for which the U.S. government (USG) issues export licenses to U.S. firms through a process that includes a review for adherence to U.S. law and policy. DCS is distinct from Foreign Military Sales (FMS), in which the U.S. gove
3、rnment procures U.S. defense articles as an intermediary for foreign partners. (See CRS In Focus IF11437, Transfer of Defense Articles: Foreign Military Sales (FMS), by Nathan J. Lucas and Michael J. Vassalotti. Congress authorized DCS licensing in the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) of 1976 (22 U.S.
4、C. 2751 et. seq.) and provides active oversight of the program through annual Department of State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Acts and the National Defense Authorization Acts. It also exercises oversight in the response to executive branch notifications of foreign arms sales. Through these
