II 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2165 

To enhance strategic cooperation between the United States and Israel, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 6, 2012 

Mrs. BOXER (for herself, Mr. ISAKSON, and Ms. COLLINS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To enhance strategic cooperation between the United States 

and Israel, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States-Israel 

5 Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress makes the following findings: 

8 (1) Since the State of Israel was established in 

9 1948, Presidents of both parties and both Houses of 

10 Congress, supported by the American people, have 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 2165 IS

1 recognized the special bond between the United 

2 States and Israel, based on shared values and 

3 shared interests. 

4 (2) The Middle East is undergoing rapid 

5 change, bringing with it hope for an expansion of de6 mocracy but also profound challenges to regional se7 curity—particularly to our most important ally, 

8 Israel—and to the national security of the United 

9 States. 

10 (3) The past year has witnessed the fall of old 

11 regimes and the rise of political parties in the Mid12 dle East who must now choose between a course of 

13 moderation and inclusion in the international com14 munity or a course of extremism and isolation. 

15 (4) The Government of the Islamic Republic of 

16 Iran is continuing its decades-long pattern of seek17 ing to foment instability in the Middle East, particu18 larly in this time of dramatic political transition. 

19 (5) At the same time, the Government of the 

20 Islamic Republic of Iran continues to enrich ura21 nium in defiance of international law. 

22 (6) A nuclear-weapons capable Iran would fun23 damentally threaten vital United States interests, 

24 encourage regional nuclear proliferation, further em25 power Iran, the world’s leading state sponsor of terVerDate Mar 15 2010 03:02 Mar 07, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2165.IS S2165

tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 2165 IS

1 ror, and pose a serious and destabilizing threat to 

2 Israel and the region. 

3 (7) Over the past several years, with the assist4 ance of the Governments of the Islamic Republic of 

5 Iran and Syria, Hezbollah and Hamas have in6 creased their stockpile of rockets, with more than 

7 60,000 now ready to be fired at Israel. The Govern8 ment of the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to 

9 develop its missile technology as well, including 

10 cruise missiles. 

11 (8) As a result, the Government and people of 

12 Israel are facing a fundamentally altered strategic 

13 environment fraught with new and profound chal14 lenges. 

15 SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF UNITED STATES POLICY. 

16 It is the policy of the United States: 

17 (1) To reaffirm our unwavering commitment to 

18 the security of the State of Israel as a Jewish state, 

19 as President Barack Obama stated on December 16, 

20 2011, ‘‘America’s commitment and my commitment 

21 to Israel and Israel’s security is unshakeable,’’ and 

22 as President George W. Bush stated before the 

23 Israeli Knesset on May 15, 2008, on the 60th anni24 versary of the founding of the State of Israel, ‘‘The 

25 alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 2165 IS

1 the source of our friendship runs deeper than any 

2 treaty.’’. 

3 (2) To provide the Government of Israel the 

4 military capabilities necessary to deter and defend 

5 itself against any threat or possible combination of 

6 threats. 

7 (3) To assist the Government of Israel with its 

8 ongoing efforts to forge a peaceful, negotiated settle9 ment of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that results 

10 in two states living side-by-side in peace and secu11 rity, and to encourage Israel’s neighbors to recognize 

12 Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state. 

13 (4) To veto any one-sided anti-Israel resolutions 

14 at the United Nations Security Council. 

15 (5) To support Israel’s inherent right to self-de16 fense. 

17 (6) To pursue every opportunity to expand co18 operation with the Government of Israel on defense 

19 and national security matters and across the spec20 trum of civilian sectors, including advanced tech21 nology, agriculture, medicine, health, pharma22 ceuticals, and energy. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 2165 IS

1 SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

2 It is the sense of Congress that the United States 

3 Government should take the following actions to assist in 

4 the defense of Israel: 

5 (1) Seek to enhance the capabilities of the Gov6 ernments of the United States and Israel to address 

7 emerging common threats, increase security coopera8 tion, and expand joint military exercises. 

9 (2) Work to encourage an expanded role for 

10 Israel within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

11 (NATO), including an enhanced presence at NATO 

12 headquarters and exercises. 

13 (3) Expand already-close intelligence coopera14 tion, including satellite intelligence, with the Govern15 ment of Israel. 

16 (4) Examine ways to strengthen existing and 

17 ongoing efforts, including the Gaza Counter Arms 

18 Smuggling Initiative, aimed at preventing weapons 

19 smuggling into Gaza pursuant to the 2009 agree20 ment following the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as 

21 well as measures to protect against weapons smug22 gling and terrorist threats from the Sinai Peninsula. 

23 (5) Provide the Government of Israel with nec24 essary support to increase development and produc25 tion of joint missile defense systems, particularly 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 2165 IS

1 such systems that defend the urgent threat posed to 

2 Israel and United States forces in the region. 

3 (6) Make every effort to assure the provision to 

4 the Government of Israel of defensive equipment 

5 through such mechanisms as lend-lease, to include 

6 air refueling tankers, missile defense capabilities, 

7 and specialized munitions. 

8 (7) Undertake efforts to make available for pur9 chase by the Government of Israel surplus defense 

10 items, particularly those resulting from the end of 

11 United States combat operations in Iraq. 

12 (8) Offer the Air Force of Israel additional 

13 training and exercise opportunities in the United 

14 States to compensate for Israel’s limited air space. 

15 SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL STEPS TO DEFEND ISRAEL AND PRO16 TECT AMERICAN INTERESTS. 

17 (a) EXTENSION OF WAR RESERVES STOCKPILE AU18 THORITY.— 

19 (1) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIA20 TIONS ACT, 2005.—Section 12001(d) of the Depart21 ment of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 (Public 

22 Law 108–287; 118 Stat. 1011) is amended by strik23 ing ‘‘more than 8 years after’’ and inserting ‘‘more 

24 than 10 years after’’. 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 2165 IS

1 (2) FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1961.—Sec2 tion 514(b)(2)(A) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 

3 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2321h(b)(2)(A)) is amended by 

4 striking ‘‘fiscal years 2011 and 2012’’ and inserting 

5 ‘‘fiscal years 2013 and 2014’’. 

6 (b) EXTENSION OF LOAN GUARANTEES TO

7 ISRAEL.—Chapter 5 of title I of the Emergency Wartime 

8 Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2003 (Public Law 108– 

9 11; 117 Stat. 576) is amended under the heading ‘‘LOAN

10 GUARANTEES TO ISRAEL’’— 

11 (1) in the matter preceding the first proviso, by 

12 striking ‘‘September 30, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘Sep13 tember 30, 2015’’; and 

14 (2) in the second proviso, by striking ‘‘Sep15 tember 30, 2011’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 

16 2015’’. 

17 SEC. 6. REPORTS REQUIRED. 

18 (a) REPORT ON ISRAEL’S QUALITATIVE MILITARY

19 EDGE (QME).—Not later than 180 days after the date 

20 of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit 

21 to the appropriate congressional committees a report on 

22 the status of Israel’s qualitative military edge in light of 

23 current trends and instability in the Middle East region, 

24 including what, if any, mitigating technologies could be 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 2165 IS

1 provided to the Government of Israel to counter increasing 

2 threats in the region. 

3 (b) REPORTS ON OTHER MATTERS.—Not later than 

4 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 

5 President shall submit to the appropriate congressional 

6 committees a report on the following matters: 

7 (1) Actions to improve the acquisition process 

8 for the purchase of F–35 aircraft by Israel, particu9 larly with respect to cost efficiency and on-time de10 livery, taking into account the urgent need of the 

11 Government of Israel for such aircraft. 

12 (2) Efforts to expand cooperation between the 

13 United States Government and the Government of 

14 Israel in homeland security, counter-terrorism, mari15 time security, energy, cyber-security, and other re16 lated areas. 

17 (3) Actions to integrate Israel into the defense 

18 of the Eastern Mediterranean. 

19 SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS. 

20 In this Act: 

21 (1) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT22 TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com23 mittees’’ means— 

24 (A) the Committee on Appropriations, the 

25 Committee on Armed Services, the Committee 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•S 2165 IS

1 on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee 

2 on Intelligence of the Senate; and 

3 (B) the Committee on Appropriations, the 

4 Committee on Armed Services, the Committee 

5 on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select 

6 Committee on Intelligence of the House of Rep7 resentatives. 

8 (2) QUALITATIVE MILITARY EDGE.—The term 

9 ‘‘qualitative military edge’’ has the meaning given 

10 the term in section 36(h)(2) of the Arms Export 

11 Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2776(h)(2)). 

Æ 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with BILLS