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U.S. House Passes Defense Bill with Israel Provision
(Fox News) Morgan Phillips - The House passed its annual defense policy bill Wednesday that included a provision expanding U.S.-Israel defense technology cooperation. Section 219 of the bill directs the defense secretary to designate a Pentagon "executive agent" to coordinate and accelerate bilateral defense research, testing and industrial cooperation. The section would also direct the Pentagon to identify jointly developed or Israeli-origin technologies that could be used in U.S. weapons programs and promote joint ventures, licensing agreements, and U.S.-based production partnerships with Israeli companies. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) argued on X that the provision would "merge parts of our military with the IDF." Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) responded on X: "Good grief, you are either obtuse or intentionally lying. We are not merging our military with the IDF. As we do with many of our allies, we enter into cooperative agreements, share intelligence, develop technology and ammunition, and conduct military exercises together. Stop stoking Jew-hatred and do better." Section 219 would not combine the countries' command structures, place U.S. troops under Israeli authority, or give Israel control over U.S. military operations. The U.S. and Israel already cooperate extensively on defense technology, including the Iron Dome, Arrow and David's Sling missile-defense systems, counter-drone technology, and anti-tunnel capabilities.