United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025

Bill: 119-hr-1229
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2]
Introduced: 2025-02-12
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2025-02-12
text: 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.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 1229 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 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 enhance bilateral defense cooperation between the United States and Israel, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the United States-Israel Defense Partnership Act of 2025 . 2. Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the United States and Israel— (A) are bound closely by historic and cultural ties and mutual interests; and (B) face common threats, which are constantly 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 defense industrial base of each country; and (3) this Act furthers such goal through the establishment of several joint initiatives. 3. United States-Israel program on countering unmanned systems (a) Findings Congress makes the following findings: (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 capabilities. (3) Israel is a global leader in the development of advanced counter-unmanned systems technologies, and a cooperative program will leverage shared expertise 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 deploying 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 development initiatives; and (D) deploying and integrating counter-unmanned systems for mutual defense. (2) Activities The program established under this subsection shall include the following: (A) Collaborative research initiatives involving government, private sector, and academic institutions in the United States and Israel, conducted in a manner that protects sensitive technology and information and the national security interests of the United States and Israel. (B) Joint training exercises and information-sharing mechanisms to enhance operational readiness of personnel of the United States and of Israel. (C) The establishment, within the Department 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. (2) Elements Each report required by paragraph (1) shall include, for the preceding year— (A) a description of activities conducted under the program; (B) an assessment of progress made in addressing unmanned systems threats and requirements; (C) an assessment of the program’s collaboration 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 Technical Support Directorate; and (D) recommendations for future program activities and funding. (3) Form Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex as necessary to protect 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. (e) Rule of construction Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter or supersede agreements or obligations between the United States and Israel in existence on the date of the enactment of this Act. 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 . 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 amended— (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 . 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 challenges, including in the areas of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, 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, development, test, and evaluation in areas of emerging technologies capable of enabling the warfare capabilities of the United States and Israel to meet emerging defense challenges, including in the areas of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, robotics, quantum, and automation. (2) Protection of sensitive information Any activity carried out pursuant to the authority provided by paragraph (1) shall be conducted in a manner that appropriately protects sensitive information 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 capabilities 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, between the United States and Israel; (ii) establishes a framework to negotiate the rights to any intellectual property developed under the memorandum of agreement; and (iii) requires the United States Government to receive semiannual reports on expenditure of funds, if any, by the Government of Israel, including a description of what the funds have been used for, when funds were expended, and an identification of entities that expended the funds. (c) Lead agency Not earlier than the date on which the Secretary of Defense submits the report required by subsection (b)(3), the Secretary of Defense shall designate the Irregular Warfare Technology Support Directorate as the lead agency of the Department of Defense in carrying out this section. (d) Semiannual reports The Secretary of Defense shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress on a semiannual basis a report that contains a copy of the most recent semiannual report provided by the Government 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 fiscal years 2026 through 2030 to carry out the program under this section. 7. Extension of War Reserves Stockpile authority Section 12001(d) of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2005 ( Public Law 108–287 ; 118 Stat. 1011) is amended by striking after January 1, 2027 and inserting after January 1 2029 . 8. Establishment of Defense Innovation Unit office in Israel Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment 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 collaborative efforts to counter development by Iran of dual-use defense technologies; and (2) to leverage resources and innovation activities of the United States and Israel for the benefit of the national security of the United States and Israel. 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 appropriately protects sensitive information and the national security interests of the United States and Israel. 10. Assessment of integrated air and missile defense in region covered by United States Central Command (a) Assessment required The Secretary of Defense 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 pursuant to subsection (a) shall cover the following: (1) The current strength of the integrated air and missile defense in the region described in subsection (a). (2) How best to strengthen the integrated air and missile defense described in paragraph (1). (3) What would be required to expand or deepen 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. (c) Considerations In carrying out the assessment required by subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider 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 Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives 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.