I 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5126 

To authorize assistance for procurement of missile defense systems for Israel, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2018 

Mrs. MURPHY of Florida (for herself and Mr. MAST) introduced the following 

bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 

provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To authorize assistance for procurement of missile defense 

systems for 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 ‘‘Deterring and Defeat5 ing Rocket and Missile Threats to Israel Act of 2018’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

8 (1) Israel is surrounded by adversaries. Threats 

9 to Israel emanate from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the 


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1 north, from the Iranian-supported regime of Bashar 

2 al-Assad in Syria to the northeast, from Hamas in 

3 the Gaza Strip to the south, and from Iran to the 

4 east. Each of these state and non-state actors pos5 sess an arsenal of rockets or missiles that could be 

6 used to target Israel. 

7 (2) Iran possesses the largest and most diverse 

8 missile arsenal in the Middle East, with thousands 

9 of medium-range ballistic and cruise missiles capable 

10 of striking Israel. 

11 (3) While Syria has used much of its ballistic 

12 missile inventory during its nearly seven-year civil 

13 war, it still maintains a robust arsenal of short14 range ballistic missiles capable of striking Israel. 

15 (4) Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza 

16 possess almost 12,000 rockets that threaten south17 ern Israel. 

18 (5) Hezbollah, an entity designated as a ter19 rorist organization by the Department of State and 

20 the European Union, continues to procure rockets to 

21 deploy against Israel in violation of United Nations 

22 Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006). 

23 (6) According to open source reporting, 

24 Hezbollah has developed an arsenal of between 


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1 100,000 and 150,000 rockets, and is seeking to de2 velop an indigenous rocket production capability. 

3 (7) In total, there are thousands of missiles and 

4 230,000 rockets aimed at Israel. In 2016, the Israeli 

5 military estimated that, in the event of a conflict in 

6 which rockets and missiles were fired at Israel from 

7 all directions, between 250 and 400 civilians would 

8 likely be killed in the conflict, including dozens in 

9 the Tel Aviv area. Hezbollah alone could launch 

10 1,200 rockets each day, a barrage that would over11 whelm Israel’s missile defense capabilities. 

12 (8) The 2016 Memorandum of Understanding 

13 Between the United States and Israel (relating to 

14 security assistance for fiscal years 2019 through 

15 2028) committed the United States to provide $500 

16 million annually to support Israel’s missile defense 

17 programs. 

18 (9) The 2016 Memorandum of Understanding 

19 further states that ‘‘both sides jointly commit to re20 spect the missile defense funding levels specified in 

21 this MOU’’ and that Israel may seek additional sup22 port in ‘‘exceptional circumstances as may be jointly 

23 agreed by the U.S. administration and Israel’’. 

24 SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 

25 It is the sense of Congress that— 


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1 (1) the United States stands behind Israel in 

2 its quest for peace and security; 

3 (2) the United States should support Israel’s 

4 efforts to defend itself against its adversaries, in5 cluding by facilitating the procurement of missile de6 fense systems critical to the protection of Israel’s 

7 population; and 

8 (3) there are currently an insufficient number 

9 of missile defense systems and interceptors to ad10 dress the full scope of Israel’s self-defense require11 ments in light of the rocket and missile threat to 

12 Israel. 

13 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE FOR PROCURE14 MENT OF MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEMS FOR 

15 ISRAEL. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The President, acting through the 

17 Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State, is author18 ized to provide assistance, upon request of the Government 

19 of Israel and for jointly agreed upon exceptional cir20 cumstances, to the Government of Israel for the procure21 ment of missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome, 

22 David Sling, and Arrow systems, additional interceptors 

23 for those systems or any future missile defense systems, 

24 and missile defense development. 


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1 (b) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Any assistance pro2 vided under the authority of subsection (a) is in addition 

3 to any assistance provided under the authority specified 

4 in the 2016 Memorandum of Understanding Between the 

5 United States and Israel. 

6 (c) LIMITATION.—The authority specified in sub7 section (a) shall be exclusively for the purpose of enhanc8 ing Israeli missile defense, consistent with the 2016 

9 Memorandum of Understanding Between the United 

10 States and Israel, to address mutually agreed-upon excep11 tional circumstances. 

12 (d) REPORT.—Not later than 10 days after the date 

13 on which the United States Government receives a request 

14 from the Government of Israel as described in subsection 

15 (a), the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the 

16 Secretary of State, shall submit to Congress a report that 

17 contains the following: 

18 (1) A written copy of the request from the Gov19 ernment of Israel. 

20 (2) An assessment of the request from the Gov21 ernment of Israel. 

22 (3) The urgent nature of the rocket and missile 

23 threat to Israel and a description of potential at24 tacks against Israel which would justify exceeding 

25 the annual amount of United States assistance to 


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1 support Israel’s missile defense programs under the 

2 2016 Memorandum of Understanding Between the 

3 United States and Israel. 

4 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 

6 appropriated to the President such sums as may be 

7 necessary to carry out this section. 

8 (2) REPLENISHMENT.—If amounts made avail9 able for the Missile Defense Agency are used to 

10 carry out this section for a fiscal year, the President 

11 shall replenish such amounts for the Missile Defense 

12 Agency for the subsequent fiscal year from amounts 

13 made available pursuant to the authorization of ap14 propriations under paragraph (1) for such subse15 quent fiscal year. 

Æ 


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