12 Senators Demand Congress Strip Israel Tech and Intel Clauses From Defense Bill
Lawmakers argue three specific provisions in the FY2027 NDAA would lock in long-term dependencies and limit presidential discretion over national security.
By Meera Fletcher ·
Twelve United States senators sent a letter to congressional leaders on November 10 demanding the removal of three specific provisions from the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act. The group includes Democratic Senators Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, Peter Welch, Edward Markey, Jeff Merkley, Brian Schatz, Patty Murray, Tina Smith, Ron Wyden, Andy Kim, and Tammy Duckworth, along with Independent Senator Bernie Sanders.
The senators argue that the proposed legislation would expand defense technology cooperation and intelligence sharing between the United States and Israel. They contend these measures would restrict American decision-making and undermine national security interests by creating long-term statutory commitments.
The dispute centers on Section 1217 of the Senate Armed Services Committee bill and Section 219 of the House-passed legislation. Both provisions mandate the creation of a United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative. This initiative would accelerate bilateral cooperation in advanced fields including biotechnology, quantum technology, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and cyberwarfare.
The lawmakers warn that these arrangements would hand Israel leverage over American weapons systems. They cited an existing missile defense cooperation agreement as evidence, claiming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government used it to prevent American Iron Dome batteries from reaching Ukraine.
“The agreements and projects these provisions envision threaten US national security interests by handing Israel leverage over American weapons systems and military technology,” the senators wrote. They added that embedding Israeli technology into the US defense industrial base would make future policy changes costly and difficult to implement.
The letter also challenges a third measure, Section 618 of the Fiscal Year 2027 Intelligence Authorization Act. This provision would require the executive branch to expand and enhance intelligence sharing with the Israeli government. It stipulates that such sharing could not be suspended, reduced, or otherwise materially limited.
“The provision would tie the President’s hands from limiting intelligence sharing with Israel, even when doing so may be necessary to protect US national security,” the letter stated. The senators noted that the Defense Intelligence Agency recently raised its assessment of the counterintelligence threat from Israel to the highest level.
The correspondence directly addresses Prime Minister Netanyahu’s efforts to redefine the US-Israel defense relationship. The senators quoted a letter Netanyahu sent to Representative Marlin Stutzman, who led a resolution supporting a similar initiative. “I was glad to receive your proposed Congressional resolution endorsing my plan to shift the framework of US-Israeli defense cooperation from aid to partnership,” Netanyahu wrote, according to the senators.
The lawmakers argue this shift moves security assistance from traditional pathways like Foreign Military Financing to more opaque avenues. They characterize this approach as a strategic disaster for the United States, citing Netanyahu’s statements about attempting to initiate a war with Iran for 40 years.
The senators concluded by requesting the removal of Section 1217, Section 219, and Section 618 from the final NDAA conference report. They stated that decisions on deepening cooperation should remain subject to independent American national security assessments rather than being embedded in long-term statutory commitments.
