Title: U.S.-Israel Joint Missile Defense Act
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
U.S.-Israel Joint Missile Defense Act
This bill authorizes the Department of Defense to conduct a test of the Arrow 3 missile defense system, in conjunction with the government of Israel, to validate the system's capabilities and improve its performance.

[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2240 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2240

To authorize the Secretary of Defense to carry out a test of the Arrow 
 3 missile defense system with the Government of Israel, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 28, 2017

  Mr. Gottheimer (for himself and Mr. Mast) introduced the following 
  bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services, and in 
   addition to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, 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 the Secretary of Defense to carry out a test of the Arrow 
 3 missile defense system with the Government of Israel, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``U.S.-Israel Joint Missile Defense 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Israel faces grave threats from Iran, Hezbollah, and 
        Hamas, each of which are increasing their capabilities and 
        strength.
            (2) On March 9, 2016, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps 
        successfully launched two ``Qadr H'' ballistic missiles at a 
        target in southeastern Iran approximately 870 miles away, in 
        violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2231.
            (3) According to Iran's official news agency, the missiles 
        were inscribed with the slogan, ``Israel should be wiped off 
        the earth.''.
            (4) Iranian Brigadier General Ami Ali Hajizadeh stated, 
        ``The reason we designed our missiles with a range of 2,000 
        kilometers is to be able to hit our enemy the Zionist regime 
        from a safe distance.''.
            (5) Tel Aviv is approximately 987 miles from Tehran and 
        likely within the operational capabilities of Iran's current 
        missile technology.
            (6) Iran conducted another test in January 2017.
            (7) Hezbollah, designated by the Department of State as a 
        terrorist organization, has an arsenal of approximately 120,000 
        to 150,000 rockets aimed at Israel.
            (8) Israel, with the August support of the United States, 
        developed the Arrow 3 missile defense system to intercept and 
        destroy long-range exo-atmospheric intercontinental ballistic 
        missiles.
            (9) On January 18, 2017, Israel placed into service the 
        first Arrow 3 interceptor after nearly a decade of development.
            (10) Further testing will be required to improve the 
        system, ensure accuracy, and validate the system's 
        capabilities.
            (11) Israel and the United States plan to conduct a test 
        during 2018 in the United States that will cost approximately 
        $105,000,000.

SEC. 3. TEST OF ARROW 3 MISSILE SYSTEM.

    (a) Authority.--The Secretary of Defense may conduct a test of the 
Arrow 3 missile defense system, in conjunction with the Government of 
Israel, to validate the capabilities of the system and improve the 
performance of the system.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to any funds 
authorized to be appropriated by section 1690 of the National Defense 
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (Public Law 114-328) or 
otherwise made available to the Secretary of Defense for the Arrow 3 
missile defense system, there is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary an additional $105,000,000 for fiscal year 2018 to provide 
assistance to the Government of Israel to carry out the test specified 
in subsection (a) in the United States.
                                 <all>