The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the $1.15 trillion annual defense policy bill which includes a provision expanding US-Israel defense technology cooperation.
The fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act passed by a majority of 216-212, with Republicans largely supporting and Democrats mostly opposing the measure. Only six Democrats voted in favor of the defense bill.
Opposition came from a group of progressive Democrats and Republican skeptics of US support for Israel, who accused congressional leaders of shielding the provision on Israel from scrutiny after lawmakers were denied a separate vote to remove it.
The provision in question, Section 219, embeds US-Israel cooperation more deeply inside the Pentagon’s weapons-development and acquisition system. The provision directs the war secretary to designate a Pentagon "executive agent" to coordinate and accelerate bilateral defense research, testing and industrial cooperation.
Critics claim that structure would make the US-Israel relationship harder for future administrations or Congresses to unwind and could shift parts of the partnership away from highly visible aid votes into less visible technology, procurement and production arrangements. Supporters, on the other hand, state that the provision coordinates longstanding programs and gives the United States faster access to Israeli defense technology.
Section 219 also directs the Pentagon to identify jointly developed or Israeli-origin technologies that could be used in US weapons programs and promote joint ventures, licensing agreements and US-based production partnerships with Israeli companies.
It does not, however, combine the countries’ command structures, place US troops under Israeli authority or give Israel control over US military operations.
Before final passage, the House adopted two amendments to the law from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL). One removed four uses of the word "integration," while the other extended annual reports to Congress for as long as the executive agent remains in place. The original reporting requirement would have ended in 2030.
The amendments left the initiative’s central structure and cooperative programs intact, falling short of opponents’ demand that Section 219 be removed altogether.
The NDAA also authorizes $750 million for US-Israel cooperative programs - including $500 million for missile defense, $100 million for counter‑unmanned systems, $100 million for subterranean operations, and $50 million for emerging technologies. The bill also extends the War Reserves Stockpile Authority-Israel.
AIPAC welcomed the approval of the legislation and particularly Section 219, saying in a statement, “We applaud the inclusion of a new provision that will help keep America safe and bolster our strategic capabilities - The United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative. This authorizes the Pentagon to work even closer together with Israel in the strategic arenas that will define 21st‑century warfare, ensuring American troops have a greater edge over our adversaries."
“Modeled on the US-Israel FUTURES Act introduced earlier this year by Representatives Ronny Jackson (R‑TX) and Don Davis (D‑NC), the provision builds on decades of US-Israel defense cooperation by making existing efforts more efficient and effective," added AIPAC.
“AIPAC members deeply appreciate House leadership, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Mike Rogers (R‑AL) and Ranking Member Rep. Adam Smith (D‑WA), and Republican and Democratic champions for advancing the pro-Israel provisions in the bill, which support American jobs, enhance troop safety, and keep the United States at the forefront of defense innovation by leveraging the enduring US-Israel partnership."
“We now encourage the Senate to maintain these US-Israel defense provisions as the NDAA moves toward final passage," the statement concluded.