I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1229 
To enhance bilateral defense cooperation between the United States and 
Israel, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 12, 2025 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. NORCROSS) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Serv-
ices, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To enhance bilateral defense cooperation between the United 
States and Israel, 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 ‘‘United States-Israel 
Defense Partnership Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) the United States and Israel— 
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(A) are bound closely by historic and cul-
tural ties and mutual interests; and 
(B) face common threats, which are con-
stantly evolving in scope, scale, and lethality; 
(2) to most effectively counter such shared 
threats, the United States and Israel must expand 
their defense partnership to develop new technologies 
and leverage the unique capabilities offered by de-
fense industrial base of each country; and 
(3) this Act furthers such goal through the es-
tablishment of several joint initiatives. 
SEC. 3. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL PROGRAM ON COUN-
TERING UNMANNED SYSTEMS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The increasing use of unmanned systems by 
state and nonstate actors poses a significant threat 
to the national security of the United States and its 
allies, including Israel. 
(2) Cooperation in developing and deploying 
counter-unmanned systems technology will enhance 
mutual security and strengthen bilateral defense ca-
pabilities. 
(3) Israel is a global leader in the development 
of advanced counter-unmanned systems technologies, 
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and a cooperative program will leverage shared ex-
pertise and resources to address evolving threats. 
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, 
with the concurrence of the Minister of Defense of 
Israel, shall establish a cooperative program between 
the United States and Israel, to be known as the 
‘‘United States-Israel Counter-Unmanned Systems 
Program’’, for the purpose of enhancing cooperation 
between the United States and Israel for purposes 
of— 
(A) developing, testing, evaluating, and de-
ploying advanced technologies for countering 
unmanned systems that threaten the United 
States and Israel; 
(B) sharing technical expertise and data 
on emerging unmanned systems and related 
threats; 
(C) conducting joint research and develop-
ment initiatives; and 
(D) deploying and integrating counter-un-
manned systems for mutual defense. 
(2) 
ACTIVITIES.—The 
program 
established 
under this subsection shall include the following: 
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(A) Collaborative research initiatives in-
volving government, private sector, and aca-
demic institutions in the United States and 
Israel, conducted in a manner that protects sen-
sitive technology and information and the na-
tional security interests of the United States 
and Israel. 
(B) Joint training exercises and informa-
tion-sharing mechanisms to enhance operational 
readiness of personnel of the United States and 
of Israel. 
(C) The establishment, within the Depart-
ment of Defense, of a United States-Israel 
Counter-Unmanned Systems Program Office to 
oversee program execution and coordination. 
(D) The procurement and deployment of 
counter-unmanned systems. 
(c) ANNUAL REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to 
the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
Representatives a report on the implementation of 
the program established under this section. 
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(2) ELEMENTS.—Each report required by para-
graph (1) shall include, for the preceding year— 
(A) a description of activities conducted 
under the program; 
(B) an assessment of progress made in ad-
dressing unmanned systems threats and re-
quirements; 
(C) an assessment of the program’s col-
laboration with other relevant United States 
Government programs, including the United 
States-Israel Operations-Technology Working 
Group and Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems 
program run by the Irregular Warfare Tech-
nical Support Directorate; and 
(D) recommendations for future program 
activities and funding. 
(3) FORM.—Each report submitted under para-
graph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but 
may include a classified annex as necessary to pro-
tect sensitive information. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $150,000,000 for each of 
fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program 
under this section. 
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(e) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to alter or supersede agreements 
or obligations between the United States and Israel in ex-
istence on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 
4. 
EXTENSION 
AND 
MODIFICATION 
OF 
UNITED 
STATES-ISRAEL ANTI-TUNNEL COOPERATION. 
Section 1279 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (Public Law 114–92; 22 U.S.C. 
8606 note) is amended— 
(1) 
in 
subsection 
(b)(4), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$50,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$80,000,000’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2026’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2028’’. 
SEC. 
5. 
EXTENSION 
AND 
MODIFICATION 
OF 
UNITED 
STATES-ISRAEL COOPERATION TO COUNTER 
UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS. 
Section 1278 of the National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (22 U.S.C. 8606 note) is amend-
ed— 
(1) 
in 
subsection 
(b)(4), 
by 
striking 
‘‘$55,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$75,000,000’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f), by striking ‘‘December 31, 
2026’’ and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2028’’. 
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SEC. 6. UNITED STATES-ISRAEL EMERGING TECHNOLOGY 
CAPABILITIES COOPERATION. 
(a) STATEMENT OF POLICY.—It is the policy of the 
United States to support and encourage further defense 
collaboration with Israel in areas of emerging technologies 
capable of enabling the warfare capabilities of both the 
United States and Israel to meet emerging defense chal-
lenges, including in the areas of artificial intelligence, cy-
bersecurity, robotics, quantum, and automation. 
(b) AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH EMERGING DEFENSE 
TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES PROGRAM WITH ISRAEL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Defense, 
upon request by the Ministry of Defense of Israel 
and in consultation with the Secretary of State and 
the Director of National Intelligence, is authorized 
to carry out, jointly with Israel, research, develop-
ment, test, and evaluation in areas of emerging tech-
nologies capable of enabling the warfare capabilities 
of the United States and Israel to meet emerging de-
fense challenges, including in the areas of artificial 
intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, quantum, and 
automation. 
(2) PROTECTION
OF
SENSITIVE
INFORMA-
TION.—Any activity carried out pursuant to the au-
thority provided by paragraph (1) shall be conducted 
in a manner that appropriately protects sensitive in-
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formation and the national security interests of the 
United States and Israel. 
(3) REPORT.—None of the activities described 
in paragraph (1) may be carried out until the date 
on which the Secretary of Defense submits to the 
Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and 
the House of Representatives a report that sets 
forth the following: 
(A) A memorandum of agreement between 
the United States and Israel regarding sharing 
of research and development costs for the capa-
bilities described in paragraph (1), and any 
supporting documents. 
(B) A certification that such memorandum 
of agreement— 
(i) requires sharing of costs of 
projects, including in-kind support, be-
tween the United States and Israel; 
(ii) establishes a framework to nego-
tiate the rights to any intellectual property 
developed under the memorandum of 
agreement; and 
(iii) requires the United States Gov-
ernment to receive semiannual reports on 
expenditure of funds, if any, by the Gov-
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ernment of Israel, including a description 
of what the funds have been used for, 
when funds were expended, and an identi-
fication of entities that expended the 
funds. 
(c) LEAD AGENCY.—Not earlier than the date on 
which the Secretary of Defense submits the report re-
quired by subsection (b)(3), the Secretary of Defense shall 
designate the Irregular Warfare Technology Support Di-
rectorate as the lead agency of the Department of Defense 
in carrying out this section. 
(d) SEMIANNUAL REPORTS.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress on a semiannual basis a report that contains a copy 
of the most recent semiannual report provided by the Gov-
ernment of Israel to the Department of Defense pursuant 
to subsection (b)(3)(B)(iii). 
(e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated $50,000,000 for each of fis-
cal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program 
under this section. 
SEC. 7. EXTENSION OF WAR RESERVES STOCKPILE AU-
THORITY. 
Section 12001(d) of the Department of Defense Ap-
propriations Act, 2005 (Public Law 108–287; 118 Stat. 
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1011) is amended by striking ‘‘after January 1, 2027’’ 
and inserting ‘‘after January 1 2029’’. 
SEC. 8. ESTABLISHMENT OF DEFENSE INNOVATION UNIT 
OFFICE IN ISRAEL. 
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall establish 
in Israel a Defense Innovation Unit office — 
(1) to engage the Minister of Defense of Israel 
and representatives of the private sector in collabo-
rative efforts to counter development by Iran of 
dual-use defense technologies; and 
(2) to leverage resources and innovation activi-
ties of the United States and Israel for the benefit 
of the national security of the United States and 
Israel. 
SEC. 9. NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRIAL BASE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense 
shall seek to engage the Minister of Defense of Israel in 
a discussion of the process of the ascension of Israel into 
the national technology and industrial base (as defined in 
section 4801 of title 10, United States Code). 
(b) PROTECTION OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION.—Any 
activity carried out pursuant to the authority provided by 
subsection (a) shall be conducted in a manner that appro-
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priately protects sensitive information and the national se-
curity interests of the United States and Israel. 
SEC. 10. ASSESSMENT OF INTEGRATED AIR AND MISSILE 
DEFENSE IN REGION COVERED BY UNITED 
STATES CENTRAL COMMAND. 
(a) ASSESSMENT REQUIRED.—The Secretary of De-
fense shall conduct an assessment of the integrated air 
and missile defense in the region cover by United States 
Central Command. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The assessment conducted pursu-
ant to subsection (a) shall cover the following: 
(1) The current strength of the integrated air 
and missile defense in the region described in sub-
section (a). 
(2) How best to strengthen the integrated air 
and missile defense described in paragraph (1). 
(3) What would be required to expand or deep-
en cooperation among the United States, Israel, and 
other regional partners of the United States to 
achieve full operational capability of the integrated 
air and missile defense described in paragraph (1), 
including identification of the amount of funding 
and new legal authorities that may be required for 
such expansion or deepening. 
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(c) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out the assess-
ment required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall con-
sider the following: 
(1) The strategy required by section 1658(b) of 
James M. Inhofe National Defense Authorization 
Act for Fiscal Year 2023 (Public Law 117–263). 
(2) Current cooperation among partners of the 
United States in the region described by subsection 
(a) on integrated air and missile defense. 
(3) Lessons learned in countering the April 13, 
2024, and October 1, 2024, airstrikes by Iran 
against Israel. 
(d) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on 
Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Rep-
resentatives a report on the assessment conducted 
under this section. 
(2) FORM.—The report required by paragraph 
(1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may 
contain a classified annex. 
Æ 
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