(a) Authorization.—Of the amounts authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year for operation and maintenance for the Army, the Secretary of Defense is authorized to use up to $55,000,000, to be derived from amounts made available for support of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to in this section as "NATO") operations, for each such fiscal year for the purposes set forth in subsection (b).

(b) Purposes.—The Secretary shall provide funds for the NATO Allied Special Operations Forces Command—

(1) to improve coordination and cooperation between the special operations forces of NATO countries and countries approved by the North Atlantic Council as NATO partners;

(2) to facilitate joint operations by the special operations forces of NATO countries and such NATO partners;

(3) to support special operations forces peculiar command, control, and communications capabilities;

(4) to promote special operations forces intelligence and informational requirements within the NATO structure; and

(5) to promote interoperability through the development of common equipment standards, tactics, techniques, and procedures, and through execution of a multinational education and training program.