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[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4133 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4133

  To express the sense of Congress regarding the United States-Israel 
 strategic relationship, to direct the President to submit to Congress 
 reports on United States actions to enhance this relationship and to 
        assist in the defense of Israel, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 2012

 Mr. Cantor (for himself, Mr. Hoyer, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, and Mr. Berman) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
  To express the sense of Congress regarding the United States-Israel 
 strategic relationship, to direct the President to submit to Congress 
 reports on United States actions to enhance this relationship and to 
        assist in the defense of Israel, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``United States-Israel Enhanced 
Security Cooperation Act of 2012''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Since 1948, United States Presidents and both houses of 
        Congress, on a bipartisan basis and supported by the American 
        people, have repeatedly reaffirmed the special bond between the 
        United States and Israel, based on shared values and shared 
        interests.
            (2) The Middle East is undergoing rapid change, bringing 
        with it hope for an expansion of democracy but also great 
        challenges to the national security of the United States and 
        our allies in the region, particularly our most important ally 
        in the region, Israel. The past year has witnessed the fall of 
        some regimes long considered to be pillars of stability in the 
        Middle East and a rise in the influence of radical Islamists 
        throughout the region.
            (3) Iran, which has long sought to foment instability and 
        promote extremism in the Middle East, is now seeking to exploit 
        the dramatic political transition underway in the region to 
        undermine governments traditionally aligned with the United 
        States and support extremist political movements in these 
        countries.
            (4) At the same time, Iran may soon attain a nuclear 
        weapons capability, a development that would fundamentally 
        threaten vital American interests, destabilize the region, 
        encourage regional nuclear proliferation, further empower and 
        embolden Iran, the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism, 
        and provide it the tools to threaten its neighbors, including 
        Israel.
            (5) Over the past several years, with the assistance of 
        Iran and Syria, Hizballah and Hamas have increased their 
        stockpiles of rockets, with more than 60,000 rockets now ready 
        to be fired at Israel. Iran continues to add to its arsenal of 
        ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, which threaten Iran's 
        neighbors, Israel, and United States military forces in the 
        region.
            (6) As a result, the strategic environment that has kept 
        Israel secure and safeguarded United States national interests 
        for the past 35 years has eroded.

SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.

    It is the policy of the United States:
            (1) To reaffirm the enduring commitment of the United 
        States to the security of the State of Israel as a Jewish 
        state. As President Obama stated on December 16, 2011, 
        ``America's commitment and my commitment to Israel and Israel's 
        security is unshakeable.''. And as President Bush stated before 
        the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of the founding of the 
        State of Israel on May 15, 2008, ``The alliance between our 
        governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our friendship 
        runs deeper than any treaty.''.
            (2) To provide Israel the military capabilities necessary 
        to deter and defend itself by itself against any threats.
            (3) To veto any one-sided anti-Israel resolutions at the 
        United Nations Security Council.
            (4) To support Israel's inherent right to self-defense.
            (5) To pursue avenues to expand cooperation with Israel in 
        both defense and across the spectrum of civilian sectors, 
        including high technology, agriculture, medicine, health, 
        pharmaceuticals, and energy.
            (6) To assist Israel with its on-going efforts to forge a 
        peaceful, negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian 
        conflict that results in two states living side by side in 
        peace and security, and to encourage Israel's neighbors to 
        recognize Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state.

SEC. 4. UNITED STATES ACTIONS TO ASSIST IN THE DEFENSE OF ISRAEL AND 
              PROTECT AMERICAN INTERESTS.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the United 
States should take the following actions to assist in the defense of 
Israel:
            (1) Provide Israel such support as may be necessary to 
        increase development and production of joint missile defense 
        systems, particularly such systems that defend the urgent 
        threat posed to Israel and United States forces in the region.
            (2) Provide Israel defense articles and defense services 
        through such mechanisms as appropriate, to include air 
        refueling tankers, missile defense capabilities, and 
        specialized munitions.
            (3) Allocate additional weaponry and munitions for the 
        forward-deployed United States stockpile in Israel.
            (4) Provide Israel additional surplus defense articles and 
        defense services, as appropriate, in the wake of the withdrawal 
        of United States forces from Iraq.
            (5) Strengthen efforts to prevent weapons smuggling into 
        Gaza pursuant to the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access 
        following the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and to protect 
        against weapons smuggling and terrorist threats from the Sinai 
        Peninsula.
            (6) Offer the Israeli Air Force additional training and 
        exercise opportunities in the United States to compensate for 
        Israel's limited air space.
            (7) Expand Israel's authority to make purchases under the 
        Foreign Military Financing program on a commercial basis.
            (8) Seek to enhance the capabilities of the United States 
        and Israel to address emerging common threats, increase 
        security cooperation, and expand joint military exercises.
            (9) Encourage an expanded role for Israel within the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), including an enhanced 
        presence at NATO headquarters and exercises.
            (10) Support extension of the long-standing loan guarantee 
        program for Israel, recognizing Israel's unbroken record of 
        repaying its loans on time and in full.
            (11) Expand already-close intelligence cooperation, 
        including satellite intelligence, with Israel.
    (b) Report on Israel's Qualitative Military Edge.--
            (1) Statement of policy.--It is the policy of the United 
        States--
                    (A) to help Israel preserve its qualitative 
                military edge amid rapid and uncertain regional 
                political transformation; and
                    (B) to encourage further development of advanced 
                technology programs between the United States and 
                Israel current trends and instability in the region.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the 
        appropriate congressional committees a report on the status of 
        Israel's qualitative military edge in light of current trends 
        and instability in the region.
    (c) Reports on Other Matters.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the 
appropriate congressional committees a report on each of the following:
            (1) Taking into account Israel's urgent requirement for F-
        35 aircraft, actions to improve the process relating to 
        Israel's purchase of F-35 aircraft to improve cost efficiency 
        and timely delivery.
            (2) Efforts to expand cooperation between the United States 
        and Israel in homeland security, counter-terrorism, maritime 
        security, energy, cybersecurity, and other appropriate areas.
            (3) Actions to integrate Israel into the defense of the 
        Eastern Mediterranean.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee 
                on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
                of the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee 
                on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign 
                Relations of the Senate.
            (2) Qualitative military edge.--The term ``qualitative 
        military edge'' has the meaning given the term in section 
        36(h)(2) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(h)(2)).
                                 <all>
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