Emergency Iron Dome Replenishment Act

Bill: 113-hr-5235
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16]
Introduced: 2014-07-29
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Arab-Israeli relations

Israel

Middle East

Military assistance, sales, and agreements
Latest action: action_date: 2014-07-30
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Unanimous Consent.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-07-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Emergency Iron Dome Replenishment Act - Authorizes the President, through the Secretary of Defense (DOD) and the Secretary of State, to provide assistance to Israel for the procurement, maintenance, and sustainment of the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system.</p>

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5235 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 29, 2014 Mr. Engel (for himself, Mr. Royce , Mr. Smith of Washington , Mrs. Davis of California , Mr. Jeffries , Mr. Sherman , Ms. Ros-Lehtinen , Mr. Deutch , and Ms. Frankel of Florida ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To authorize further assistance to Israel for the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Emergency Iron Dome Replenishment Act . 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Since June 12, 2014, the foreign terrorist organization Hamas and other Palestinian extremists have been launching dozens of rockets per day at the State of Israel. (2) Hamas possesses approximately 12,000 missiles of assorted ranges that could threaten approximately 40 percent of the Israeli population. (3) Iran has supplied Hamas and other Palestinian extremists with long-range missiles, capable of hitting Israeli population centers 100 miles away. (4) Hamas rockets are either unguided or have inaccurate guidance systems, making them true weapons of terror designed only to kill people at random. (5) Hamas has admitted targeting Israel’s nuclear research reactor at Dimona. (6) The use of rockets by Hamas against Israeli population centers has been called a war crime. (7) In March 2014, Israel intercepted the ship Klos-C, which was carrying dozens of long-range rockets, reportedly from Iran to Hamas. (8) The United States remains committed to Israel’s qualitative military edge, including its advantage over Hamas and other foreign terrorist organizations. (9) The Israeli Defense Forces report that the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system has achieved a success rate of 90 percent, intercepting rockets bound for civilian population centers, including residential neighborhoods, busy road junctions, shopping centers, and crowded streets. (10) The recent success of the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system averted massive Israeli casualties. (11) Supporting Israel’s ability to defend itself against missiles, rockets, and other threats advances the United States own vital national security interests and the cause of Middle Eastern peace and stability. (12) The White House said on July 8, 2014, No country can accept rocket fire aimed at civilians and we support Israel’s right to defend itself against these vicious attacks. . (13) In 2012, President Obama called Iron Dome critical in terms of providing security and safety for Israeli families. It is a program that has been tested and has prevented missile strikes inside of Israel. . 3. Authorization of assistance to Israel for Iron Dome anti-missile defense system The President, acting through the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of State, is authorized to provide assistance, upon request by the Government of Israel, for the procurement, maintenance, and sustainment of the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system for purposes of intercepting short-range missiles launched against Israel.