U.S. lawmakers have passed a version of the huge defense spending policy bill that will determine next year’s funding and priorities for the Pentagon, despite concerns from several Democrats that it will deepen certain links with Israel.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, for the 2027 fiscal year by 216 votes to 212 on Wednesday.
It authorizes more than $1 trillion in military spending, further pulling the U.S. ahead as the world’s biggest defense spender, and comes shortly after Defense Secretary
Pete Hegseth said the U.S.’ war against Iran had cost $37.5 billion since February 28.
What the NDAA Would Do
The part referring to collaboration with Israel is called Section 219.
In this provision, the U.S. would create a coordinator in the
Pentagon to “expand and accelerate” research, testing and development of new technology with Israel. They would also oversee how new systems would slot into the U.S. military and which companies would produce them.
This person would work out which technologies Israel has developed, or the U.S. has helped Israel to build, which could be useful to the U.S. military.
Section 219 also lists several areas in which the U.S. would work more closely with Israel. These are:
- Drone threats of all types, including aerial drones and seaborne unmanned systems
- Anti-tunneling and underground threats
- Air defense
- Artificial intelligence and quantum computing
- Advanced sensors and directed energy
- Electronic warfare and cyber capabilities
- Medical programs and biotechnology
- Fusing data and networks together
- Defense industry
- Other “emerging technologies”
A line of Section 219 also commits the U.S. to joint training exercises with the Israeli military, and sharing information that means both militaries can use technology they develop together.
Hegseth would be required to report back to Congress within 180 days on the progress of work between the two countries.
The Defense Secretary would then submit a yearly report to lawmakers until 2030. The run-down will cover how the closer links have benefited U.S. national security.
Unclassified versions of these reports would be made public, although some parts wouldn’t be published if they contain classified information.
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