II 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 3451 

To authorize assistance to Israel for the Iron Dome anti-missile defense 

system. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 27 (legislative day, MAY 26), 2010 

Mrs. BOXER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL 

To authorize assistance to Israel for the Iron Dome antimissile defense system. 

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 Rocket and Missile Defense Cooperation and Support 

6 Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress finds the following: 

9 (1) The Jewish State of Israel, as a close and 

10 indispensable ally of the United States, with whom 


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1 the United States enjoys mutually beneficial mili2 tary, intelligence, homeland security, scientific, tech3 nological, and other cooperation, deserves all nec4 essary assistance to defend itself and its citizens 

5 from the many threats that it continues to face. 

6 (2) The State of Israel has been under grave 

7 threat and frequent attack from missiles, rockets, 

8 and mortar shells fired at Israeli civilian targets by 

9 militants from the Foreign Terrorist Organization 

10 Hamas on its southern border and by the Foreign 

11 Terrorist Organization Hezbollah on its northern 

12 border, which have killed, wounded, or inflicted psy13 chological trauma on countless Israelis. 

14 (3) The United States remains committed to 

15 Israel’s qualitative military edge, including its ad16 vantage over non-state actors such as Hamas and 

17 Hezbollah, which boast increasingly sophisticated 

18 and powerful weapons as a result of support from 

19 Iran, Syria, and other state actors. 

20 (4) Regional stability and lasting peace between 

21 Israel and the Palestinians requires that the Govern22 ment of Israel can ensure the safety of its popu23 lation against rocket, missile, and other threats. 

24 (5) The United States Government can help to 

25 advance its own vital national security interests and 


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1 the cause of peace by supporting Israel’s ability to 

2 defend itself against rocket, missile, and other 

3 threats. 

4 (6) The Government of Israel announced in 

5 January 2010 the successful testing of its Iron 

6 Dome Short Range Artillery Rocket Defense Sys7 tem, which is designed to intercept short-range rock8 ets, missiles, and mortars launched by militants in 

9 Gaza and southern Lebanon. 

10 (7) In the face of threats from its neighbors 

11 and non-state actors, Israel historically has sought 

12 the means to defend itself, by itself. 

13 (8) President Barack Obama has stated: ‘‘Our 

14 commitment to Israel’s security is unshakable.’’. 

15 (9) Vice President Joe Biden has stated: 

16 ‘‘From my experience, the one precondition for 

17 progress is that the rest of the world knows this— 

18 there is no space between the U.S. and Israel when 

19 it comes to security—none.’’. 

20 (10) Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates has 

21 stated: ‘‘President Obama has affirmed, the United 

22 States commitment to Israel’s security is 

23 unshakable, and our defense relationship is stronger 

24 than ever, to the mutual benefit of both nations.’’. 


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1 (11) President Obama recently requested funds 

2 to help the State of Israel procure and maintain 

3 Iron Dome missile batteries. 

4 SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL FOR 

5 IRON DOME ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM. 

6 The President, acting through the Secretary of De7 fense and the Secretary of State, is authorized to provide 

8 assistance to the Government of Israel for the procure9 ment, maintenance, and sustainment of the Iron Dome 

10 Short Range Artillery Rocket Defense System for pur11 poses of intercepting short-range rockets, missiles, and 

12 mortars launched against Israel. 

Æ 


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