I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3976 
To provide defense and security assistance to ensure the survival of Israel 
and its people from an existing or imminent military threat, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 17, 2021 
Mr. BUDD (for himself and Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To provide defense and security assistance to ensure the 
survival of Israel and its people from an existing or 
imminent military threat, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘America Stands with 
Israel Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY TO ADDRESS EXISTING OR IMMINENT 
MILITARY THREAT TO ISRAEL. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The President, upon request of the 
Prime Minister of Israel, is authorized to carry out such 
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actions that may be necessary to ensure the survival of 
Israel and its people from an existing or imminent military 
threat, including threats from other countries, terrorist or-
ganizations, and violent extremist, cyber, and chemical, bi-
ological, and nuclear threats. Any activities carried out 
pursuant to such authority shall be conducted in a manner 
that appropriately protects the national security interests 
of the United States and the national security interests 
of Israel. 
(b) USE OF FORCE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out subsection 
(a), the President is authorized to use force and in-
troduce United States Armed Forces— 
(A) into hostilities or into situations where 
imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly in-
dicated by the circumstances; 
(B) into the territory, airspace or waters of 
a foreign country, while equipped for combat; or 
(C) in numbers which substantially enlarge 
United States Armed Forces equipped for com-
bat already located in a foreign country. 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 48 hours after ex-
ercising the authority under this subsection, the 
President shall submit to the Speaker of the House 
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of Representatives and to the President pro tempore 
of the Senate a report, in writing, setting forth— 
(A) the circumstances necessitating the in-
troduction of United States Armed Forces; 
(B) the constitutional and legislative au-
thority under which such introduction took 
place; and 
(C) the estimated scope and duration of 
the hostilities or any other situation described 
in paragraph (1). 
(c) OTHER INFORMATION TO BE REPORTED.—The 
President shall provide such other information as Con-
gress may request in the fulfillment of its constitutional 
responsibilities with respect to exercising the authority 
under subsection (b). 
(d) PERIODIC REPORTS; SEMIANNUAL REQUIRE-
MENT.—Whenever United States Armed Forces are intro-
duced into hostilities or into any other situation described 
in subsection (b), the President shall, so long as such 
Armed Forces continue to be engaged in such hostilities 
or situation, report to Congress periodically on the status 
of such hostilities or situation as well as on the scope and 
duration of such hostilities or situation, but in no event 
shall the President report to Congress less often than once 
every six months. 
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SEC. 3. WAIVER FOR EXISTING OR IMMINENT MILITARY 
THREAT TO ISRAEL. 
Section 38 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 
U.S.C. 2778) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(l) WAIVER FOR EXISTING OR IMMINENT MILITARY 
THREAT TO ISRAEL.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Upon receiving information 
that Israel is under an existing or imminent threat 
of military attack, the President may waive the re-
quirements of this Act and direct the immediate 
transfer to Israel of such defense articles or services 
the President determines to be necessary to assist 
Israel in its defense against such threat. Amounts 
obligated or expended to carry out this paragraph 
shall not be subject to any limitation in law, or pro-
vision of any bilateral agreement, relating to the 
amount of United States assistance authorized to be 
made available to Israel. 
‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION
REQUIRED.—As soon as 
practicable after a transfer of defense articles or 
services pursuant to the authority provided by para-
graph (1), the President shall provide a notification 
in writing to Congress of the details of such trans-
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fer, consistent with the requirements of section 36 of 
this Act.’’. 
Æ 
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